Harold Pinter's Betrayal and Lucinda Coxon's new play—the best theatre in March 2019

 

Betrayal, Harold Pinter Theatre

5th March to 1st June

Tom Hiddleston’s welcome return to the West End stage put the seal on director Jamie Lloyd’s six-month season of short Pinter plays with a full-length humdinger. It dramatises the unravelling of a seven-year romance—based on that of Pinter himself with Joan Bakewell, then married to one of his best friends—in reverse chronological order. Since Betrayal’s premiere in 1978, the play has become a classic alongside The Birthday Party, The Caretaker, The Homecoming and Old Times.

Alys, Always

Bridge Theatre, 25th February to 30th March

Lucinda Coxon’s new play is based on Harriet Lane’s 2012 novel in which a Sunday newspaper journalist—played by Joanne Froggatt, so good as Anna Smith in Downton Abbey—finds herself on the inside of her own news story with disorienting consequences. Nicholas Hytner’s programme at the Bridge has been edgy and interesting and, as usual, he attracts a fine company of actors. Froggatt is bolstered by Robert Glenister, Sylvestra Le Touzel, Joanna David and Jeff Rawle.

Pepperland

Sadler’s Wells, 20th to 23rd March, then touring

Mark Morris, the most exciting of choreographers, returns with his unmissable 50th anniversary response to the Beatles’ 1967 ground-breaking album, Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. The show is a feast of dance, colour and wit, as well as brilliant musical arrangements—played live—by Ethan Iverson, and tours the UK and Ireland through April and May, visiting Southampton, Birmingham, Liverpool, Newcastle and Edinburgh.