Grace Pervades at Theatre Royal Haymarket

Ralph Fiennes stars in this endearing love letter to theatre and the great figures who made it what it is today.

Grace Pervades opens with Henry Irving (Fiennes) asking Ellen Terry (Miranda Raison) to be his leading lady now that he has acquired the Lyceum Theatre. The two of them would become perhaps the greatest male and female actors of their time as Irving sought to lift theatre to the same lofty and respected societal position as other art forms. The play is very much their lives and their legacies.

Irving, a pensive and awkward man, and Terry, a bright and joyful woman, play off each other wonderfully. They bring different ideas to the theatre and constantly strive to learn and improve.

Meanwhile, glimpses of Terry’s children further showcase the history of theatre. Edward and Edith are both great changemakers in their own right, the first creating a body of theoretical works with such wild ideas as lighting theatres from above, and the second staging plays about women’s rights and pioneering the suffrage movement.

The play jumps back and forth from Irving and Terry to Edward and Edith, the latter reeling off monologues, often about their mother. It’s a slow burn that stirs small personal relationships and drama with grand historical significance.

Grace Pervades is full of sharp, classic British wit as it meanders around its theatrical stories. The writer, David Hare, has a gift for excellent quips that turn this show into a real delight.

But making it all work is Fiennes’s superb comic timing. Every word, every movement is on point. This is not the play for those looking for some epic Ralph Fiennes acting. His display of skill is far more subtle. His counterpart, Miranda Raison, is just as good, and the two together make for a number of perfect scenes.

Grace Pervades is a lovely, well-balanced show, taking the interesting stories that happened just off stage and putting them on stage – in the most complimentary way possible. The characters, the dialogue, the performances, and the narrative are all greatly intriguing and gripping throughout.