The Upcoming
  • Cinema & Tv
    • Movie reviews
    • Film festivals
      • Berlin
      • Tribeca
      • Sundance London
      • Cannes
      • Locarno
      • Venice
      • London
      • Toronto
    • Show reviews
  • Music
    • Live music
  • Food & Drinks
    • News & Features
    • Restaurant & bar reviews
    • Interviews & Recipes
  • Theatre
  • Art
  • Travel & Lifestyle
  • Literature
  • Fashion & Beauty
    • Accessories
    • Beauty
    • News & Features
    • Shopping & Trends
    • Tips & How-tos
    • Fashion weeks
      • London Fashion Week
      • London Fashion Week Men’s
      • New York Fashion Week
      • Milan Fashion Week
      • Paris Fashion Week
      • Haute Couture
  • Join us
    • Editorial unit
    • Our writers
    • Join the team
    • Join the mailing list
    • Support us
    • Contact us
  • Competitions
  • Facebook

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • RSS

CultureTheatre

The End of Longing at the Playhouse Theatre

The End of Longing at the Playhouse Theatre | Theatre review
12 February 2016
Jim Compton-Hall
Avatar
Jim Compton-Hall
12 February 2016

Matthew Perry’s new show is a brilliantly funny story of the various problems we create for ourselves.

The End of Longing is the tale of four lost souls trying to be happy. Each of them have their own issues, but when they come together in a Los Angeles bar, they begin to sort themselves out. It’s a dark comedy, deathly serious and almost tragic in some places, but fantastically witty throughout.

Matthew Perry, best known for playing Chandler Bing in Friends, both wrote and stars in this production. His writing is sharp, tremendously funny and really, very honest. The only real regret is that a few lines become inaudible underneath the raucous laughter of the audience as some of the humour falls mid-sentence.

Perry’s performance as Jack, the alcoholic, is raw and aggressive. It is a far cry from the days of Chandler Bing, but it’s certainly no less brilliant. Perry’s portrayal of the addict digs deeper to a far more truthful and powerful representation than most pop culture allows for, giving the audience a glimpse into the mind of an addict and why they can’t just stop.

Joining Perry onstage is Christina Cole (as the neurotic Stevie), Jennifer Mudge (as the prostitute Stephanie) and Lloyd Owen (as the stupid Joseph). Each and every one of them delivers, bringing vast levels of emotion where needed, as well as nailing every joke, of which there are many. Some of the costume changes seem mind-blowingly quick too.

Anna Fleischle’s set is marvellous. Mostly simple but mechanically impressive as different scenes role in and out, with videos of Los Angeles showing through windows in the background. The city clips, combined with theme music playing between scenes, give it a feeling of a television sitcom in a somehow reassuring way.

The Playhouse Theatre has recently hosted some of the very best short run shows that London has to offer and The End of Longing is no exception. Matthew Perry has written a wonderful play with an important message that life needn’t be as complicated as we make it.

★★★★★

Jim Compton-Hall

The End of Longing is on at the Playhouse Theatre from 2nd February until 14th May 2016. Book your tickets here.

Related Itemsreview

More in Theatre

Henry VIII at Shakespeare’s Globe

★★★★★
Mersa Auda
Read More

The Father and the Assassin at the National Theatre

★★★★★
Natallia Pearmain
Read More

Dirty Dancing the Movie in concert at Apollo Theatre

★★★★★
Jim Compton-Hall
Read More

My Fair Lady at the London Coliseum

★★★★★
Michael Higgs
Read More

“When you’re presented with different dilemmas in life, you respond accordingly”: Debbie Kurup on The Cher Show

Mae Trumata
Read More

2:22 A Ghost Story at Criterion Theatre

★★★★★
Michael Higgs
Read More

The House of Shades at Almeida Theatre

★★★★★
Csilla Tornallyay
Read More

Grease at Dominion Theatre

★★★★★
Cristiana Ferrauti
Read More

House of Ife at Bush Theatre

★★★★★
Selina Begum
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Theatre review

Jim Compton-Hall

The End of Longing

★★★★★

Dates

2nd February - 14th May 2016

Price

£15–£135

BUY TICKETS

Links & directions

WebsiteMap

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Alice Cooper at the O2 Arena
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Decision to Leave (Heojil Kyolshim)
    ★★★★★
    Cannes
  • The Five Devils (Les Cinq Diables)
    ★★★★★
    Cannes
  • Stephen Fry enters the Radio Times Hall of Fame in conversation with Alan Yentob at the BFI Imax
    Cinema & Tv
  • Roma Bar Show returns for a second edition in Rome next week
    Food & Drinks
  • “It was a really precious process”: An interview with Maksym Nakonechnyi on Butterfly Vision
    Cannes
  • Stranger Things: Season Four
    ★★★★★
    netflix
  • Henry VIII at Shakespeare’s Globe
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Stars at Noon
    ★★★★★
    Cannes
  • Nostalgia
    ★★★★★
    Cannes
  • Nostalgia
    ★★★★★
    Cannes
  • Fiend in Notting Hill: “Risks that pay off”
    Food & Drinks
  • Alice Cooper at the O2 Arena
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Michael Kiwanuka at Alexandra Palace
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • The Innocent (L’Innocent)
    ★★★★★
    Cannes
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • Support us
  • What, when, why
With the support from:
International driving license

Copyright © 2011-2020 FL Media

Concussion | Movie review
Valentine’s Day: All-day eateries to beguile your beau