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

  • Twitter

  • Instagram

  • YouTube

  • Tumblr

  • RSS


CultureTheatre

Straight to the Heart at the Arts Theatre

Straight to the Heart at the Arts Theatre | Theatre review
15 October 2016
Catherine Sedgwick
Catherine Sedgwick
Avatar
Catherine Sedgwick
15 October 2016

Theatre review

Catherine Sedgwick

Straight to the Heart

★★★★★

Dates

10th October - 28th October 2016

Price

£10.90-£12.90

Links & directions

WebsiteMap

By American playwright and New York Times editor Ken Jaworowski, Straight to the Heart is a charming and poignant trilogy of short plays in monologue form delivered by three actors.

Directed by Alex Dmitriev, in this simple production the actors carry the show: Alistair Brown, Nadia Shash and Daniel Simpson are accomplished, versatile performers who express well subtle emotion and wit, artfully transitioning from one role to another.

In Pulse a man reveals his sexual orientation to his religious ex-Marine dad who wants grandchildren, with surprising consequences; another regrets advising his son to physically attack his bullies after doing so produces dire consequences; and a woman tries to save a father who feels he is a burden and wants her to let him go so she can be free. One to the Head One to the Heart tells of a parent’s rejection of his disabled daughter, for which he is later deeply ashamed after he realises what a wonderful human being she is. In The Truth Tellers, a man and a woman, two lonely ships in the night, meet and then nearly drift apart because of low self-esteem and insecurity. He is sure she’s not really interested in him, even though she is. And she believes that “every nice guy in the world is either gay, taken or weird” and she hopes he’s weird.

A minimalist piece, the production consists simply of three players and no set. Emulating traditional storytelling, the play might seem colourless at first to our tech-infused minds ever on information overload, but viewers are quickly drawn into the characters’ accounts, which are very absorbing and intriguing. The tales told are human and real, about life situations that affect us all, but that uncover heartfelt truths that would not normally be revealed: The trepidation of coming out to a strict father and then great emotion from an unexpectedly accepting and loving reaction; the deep pain of letting go of a parent; the shame of a man wishing his disabled child would die, but then the triumph of love over ego; the fears single people have while trying to find a mate, and the stupid things they can say and do to compensate.

A sweet, thought-provoking work, in 75 minutes Straight to the Heart entrances and inspires.

★★★★★

Catherine Sedgwick

Straight to the Heart is at the Arts Theatre from 10th until 28th October 2016, for further information or to book visit here.

Related Itemsreview

More in Theatre

Come From Away at Phoenix Theatre

★★★★★
Connor Campbell
Read More

Mortified

★★★★★
Selina Begum
Read More

Armour

★★★★★
Selina Begum
Read More

Berberian Sound Studio at the Donmar Warehouse

★★★★★
Mersa Auda
Read More

I Want You to Admire Me / But You Shouldn’t

★★★★★
Selina Begum
Read More

Tryst

★★★★★
Selina Begum
Read More

Landscape (1989)

★★★★★
Selina Begum
Read More

All About Eve at the Noel Coward Theatre

★★★★★
Jake Cudsi
Read More

Tobacco Road

★★★★★
Daniel McLeod
Read More
Scroll for more
Tap

Theatre review

Catherine Sedgwick

Straight to the Heart

★★★★★

Dates

10th October - 28th October 2016

Price

£10.90-£12.90

Links & directions

WebsiteMap

Tickets

Theatre tickets

  • Popular

  • Latest

  • TOP PICKS

  • Marighella
    ★★★★★
    Berlinale
  • Babylon Beyond Borders at the Bush Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Can-Can! at Union Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Johnstons of Elgin autumn/winter 2019 collection presentation for LFW
    Fashion weeks
  • Jeremy Loops and James Hersey at the Roundhouse
    ★★★★★
    Live music
  • Come From Away at Phoenix Theatre
    ★★★★★
    Theatre
  • Hanger autumn/winter 2019 collection presentation for LFW
    Fashion weeks
  • STEVE O SMITH autumn/winter 2019 collection presentation for LFW
    Fashion weeks
  • Pringle of Scotland autumn/winter 2019 collection catwalk show for LFW
    Fashion weeks
  • Supriya Lele autumn/winter 2019 collection presentation for LFW
    Fashion weeks
  • Teddy Pendergrass: If You Don’t Know Me
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Cold Pursuit
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • Capernaum
    ★★★★★
    Movie review
  • “I’m only brave because I’m incredibly fearful”: Charlotte Rampling on receiving the Honorary Golden Bear for Lifetime Achievement at the 69th Berlin Film Festival
    Berlinale
  • What She Said: The Art of Pauline Kael: An interview with director Rob Garver
    Berlinale

Instagram

Something is wrong.
Instagram token error.
The Upcoming
Pages
  • Contact us
  • Fund us
  • Join mailing list
  • Join us
  • Our London food map
  • Our writers
  • What, when, why

Copyright © 2018 FL Media Ltd

Theatre Utopia: An interview with artistic director Jamal Chong
Skin a Cat at the Bunker | Theatre review