The Wanderers at Marylebone Theatre
The Wanderers is a tale of two marriages in Brooklyn, tracing their rise and fall from grace. Directed by Igor Golyak, the story is inspired by true events of love, loss and tension, based on the book by author Anna Ziegler.
As soon as we are introduced to Esther (Katerina Tannenbaum), Schmuli (Eddie Toll), Sophie (Paksie Vernon), and her prize-winning novelist husband, Abe (Alexander Forsyth), the parallel love stories begin.
Golyak’s inventive use of chapters and a transparent wall drives the narrative home, guiding us through the stages of marriage – all literally written in white pen.
While they are polar opposites, as Esther and Schmuli are Orthodox Jews and Sophie and Abe are secular, the couples and their marital problems mirror each other. Perhaps that’s why Golyak uses the transparent wall – to show these characters are reflections of one another – which makes sense considering Schmuli is Abe’s deceased father.
Set designer Jan Pappelbaum creates a dark and minimalist stage, where snow and a white sheet represent many things. Sometimes it’s a dinner tablecloth; at other times, a wedding veil. The snow itself symbolises hope and tragedy throughout the play.
While the characters are compelling, the narrative occasionally feels sidetracked by Abe’s fantasy of Hollywood starlet Julia Cheever (Anna Popplewell), whom he begins writing to. The continuous use of clicking sounds and simulating email correspondence falls flat; maybe a voiceover with their emails might have worked better, saving time and preventing the romance from lulling. Still, Golyak maintains interest through recurring motifs of drawing and snow, as the characters tell stories by drawing them on the board, and the snow becomes a character in its own right.
The star of the show is Tannenbaum as Esther, who carries every emotion of a mother who grieves a life she could’ve had, and a life that she lost. Schmuli is a traditionalist with heart; he is devoted to Esther and his faith. Tannerbaum and Toll are electrifying in their scenes when they’re in love, and even when they’re not.
Unfortunately, Forsyth as Abe is less believable, given that Abe is the one reliving his parents’ story and is at the centre of the play. Above all else, he comes across as selfish, pretentious, and unlikable. His chemistry with Vernon feels lacking, though his scenes with Popplewell bring back the spark we needed Sophie and Abe to have. Perhaps that’s the point: Abe has grown neurotic and bored in his marriage, so he’s conjured up a fantasy to fulfil something he is missing.
The costumes by Sasha Ageeva truly categorise each character perfectly. Schmuli is as traditionally Jewish as they come, Sophie is more of a modern artsy type, Esther is conservative, following Jewish dress practices, and Abe dresses like a knock-off Philip Roth.
If you want to go on a journey of parallel marriages and explore the bad and the good through two generations, this is the play for you.
Sophie Humphrey
Photos: Mark Senior
The Wanderers is at Marylebone Theatre from 17th October until 29th November 2025. For further information or to book, visit the theatre’s website here.
Watch the trailer for The Wanderers at Marylebone Theatre here:
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