Unicorn, Garrick Theatre Review
Written by Cathie for Theatre and Tonic
Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review
A unicorn is a well known mythical creature that abounds in every young child’s’ bedroom and leaps across much of our modern media. A symbol of the fantastical, the beautiful and the impossibly rare, in this play’s context it is used to mean a consenting woman who is happy to be a third in a throuple. Directed with sparkling comedy and sharp wit by James McDonald, we find Free Spirited university lecturer and Poet Polly (Nicola Walker) and her Doctor husband Nick (Stephan Mangan) who suffering from a breakdown in their romantic relations, begin to discuss whether to welcome a younger woman Kate (Erin Doherty) into their romantic and daily life.
This play attempts to dance between tragedy and comedy in equal measures and uses the microcosm of this trio’s developing relationship to act as a magnifier for the ennui and helplessness experienced by younger generations and obliquely references the impact of the internet and easy access to adult content has taken much passion and adventure away from older generations. Nicola Walker is powerful, dynamic and intuitive as Polly the lecturer who leads much of the plot and is the smartest character in the cast. It is through her actions and vivid acting that the play has its pacing and drive. Stephan Mangan is her doctor husband and is one of the few actors who can pull off this anguished, vulnerable over thinker with such a high calibre of acting and portray this character with pathos. Erin Doherty is empowered mature student Kate who is assertive and powerfully refreshing in her attitudes towards life and sexual activity. Her frankness and vulnerable transparency adds much of the heart and depth to this production and is the most sympathetic centre on which this story spins.
This play has excellent writing that is so sharp it easily cuts the unwary audience member with profound dialogue that lingers in the mind. The characters are vividly realistic and display many layers throughout the play. It doesn’t shy away from showing the awkwardness of such relationships, even more as a “frontier” of new romances although this would have been more powerful in 2014. It’s refreshingly down to earth and deeply analytical in understanding the hearts, minds and motivations of all the characters involved and has many sharp retorts on modern life that have the audience laughing loudly.
Miriam Buether’s set design is very sparse and minimalist, the neon arch glowing so brightly in contrast to the curved dome of the rest of the set. It’s occasionally raised in the most vulnerable open moments of the play but otherwise acts as a mirror to magnify the events on stage. Therefore everything is absolutely focused on the discussions that are happening on stage. There are no distractions in the case of props and the focus on the dialogue is absolute.
The only area that the play is let down is in its pacing. Although Mike Bartlett has beautiful prose that is sharp and incredibly detailed, the plot, especially in the first half can be repetitive. This play is wonderful in exploring the dynamics of such a relationship but it feels hesitant and muddled through much of the plot, as if it’s too afraid to completely rip off the band aid so we only get a half view of the events portrayed. One such example is the reaction displayed by the women when Nick seeks male friendship to understand and discuss the situation in a safe place. Another is the woman’s attitude towards his vulnerability towards sex in quite a caustic way, which although reflective of society, saddened me for its approach to masculinity which reverts to more typical examples in the second half.
If you enjoy refreshing and powerful plays that explore the joys of romance in non traditional forms, the beautifully awkward British comedic wit performed by a fabulous cast then this is the play for you.
At Garrick Theatre until 26 April 2025
★★★★
