LondonTheatre1

London Theatre: Tickets | Reviews | News | West End | UK Touring Productions

ATG Tickets
  • Home
  • Top Selling Shows
    • Musicals
    • Plays
      • A Christmas Carol
      • Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
      • The Mousetrap
      • Witness for the Prosecution
    • Back To The Future
    • Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club
    • Dirty Dancing
    • Frozen The Musical
    • Heathers
    • Jersey Boys
    • Les Misérables
    • Mamma Mia
    • Matilda the Musical
    • Moulin Rouge
    • Pretty Woman the Musical
    • The Book of Mormon
    • The Lion King
    • The Phantom of the Opera
    • Tina the Musical
    • Wicked
    • London Theatres
      • Seating Plans
      • Adelphi Theatre
      • Aldwych Theatre
      • Ambassadors Theatre
      • Apollo Theatre
      • Apollo Victoria Theatre
      • Cambridge Theatre
      • Criterion Theatre
      • Dominion Theatre
      • Duchess Theatre
      • Duke of York’s Theatre
      • Fortune Theatre
      • Garrick Theatre
      • Gielgud Theatre
      • Gillian Lynne Theatre
      • Harold Pinter Theatre
      • His Majesty’s Theatre
      • Kit Kat Club London
      • Lyceum Theatre
      • Lyric Theatre
      • New Wimbledon Theatre
      • New Wimbledon Theatre Studio
      • Noel Coward Theatre
      • Novello Theatre
      • Old Vic Theatre
      • Palace Theatre
      • Palladium
      • Phoenix Theatre
      • Piccadilly Theatre
      • Playhouse Theatre
      • Prince Edward Theatre
      • Prince of Wales Theatre
      • Richmond Theatre
      • Savoy Theatre
      • Shaftesbury Theatre
      • Sondheim Theatre
      • St Martin’s Theatre
      • Trafalgar Theatre
      • Vaudeville Theatre
      • Victoria Palace Theatre
      • Wyndham’s Theatre
  • News
    • Interviews
  • Reviews
  • UK Shows
    • Alexandra Theatre
    • Aylesbury Waterside Theatre
      • Norman Bragg Studio
    • Brighton Theatre Royal
    • Bristol Hippodrome
      • Bristol Theatre Seating Plan
    • Edinburgh Playhouse
    • Glasgow Theatre Royal
    • Grand Opera House York
    • Granville Theatre
    • King’s Theatre Glasgow
    • Leas Cliff Hall
    • Liverpool Empire
    • Manchester Opera House
    • Manchester Palace Theatre
    • Milton Keynes Theatre
    • New Theatre Oxford
    • New Victoria Theatre Woking
    • New Wimbledon Theatre
    • New Wimbledon Theatre Studio
    • Princess Theatre Torquay
    • Regent Theatre Stoke
    • Rhoda McGaw Theatre
    • Richmond Theatre
    • Stockton Globe
    • Sunderland Empire
    • Swansea Arena
    • Victoria Hall Hanley Stoke
  • Newsletter
  • West End
  • Theatre Breaks
Home » Reviews » Kevin Elyot’s Coming Clean at Trafalgar Studios | Review

Kevin Elyot’s Coming Clean at Trafalgar Studios | Review

January 13, 2019 Last updated: October 7, 2019 8:14 pm By Terry Eastham

Coming Clean PosterIt’s always good to see a production transfer from the fringe into the West End, so I was really pleased to be invited along to review Kevin Elyot’s Coming Clean which following a successful revival at the King’s Head Theatre in July 2017, has now opened at the Trafalgar Studios.

Tony (Lee Knight) and Greg (Stanton Plummer-Cambridge) have been together for five years and seem to be happy in their relationship. Although they are a couple, they are open, which leaves Tony free to hit the discos with his best friend and total ‘scene queen’ William (Elliot Hadley) in search of a bit of ‘trade’. Tony is a frustrated writer and Greg is an author and teacher, which leaves little room for domesticity in their Kilburn flat. In an effort to restore harmony, Tony hires a cleaner, Robert (Tom Lambert) a young resting actor. Whilst young and apparently fairly naive, Robert is erudite and educated and, although Greg initially, doesn’t seem keen on him, he fits in well with the household. Possibly too well.

Coming to the play for a second time, I found myself analysing it a lot more than I had first time around. This was Elyot’s first play, first performed in 1982 and, to my mind, he hadn’t quite got the writing right at this point. The story itself is good but, there are times when the dialogue seems to go on a bit without advancing the story that much. What really saves the writing is the relationship between William and Tony. I could easily have sat for a couple of hours and just listened to their stories and banter. This was due not only to the way the two characters are written but also the interaction between the two actors playing the roles. Lee Knight as Tony and Elliot Hadley as William just work on every level. William has the potential to be an extremely irritating stereotypical bitchy queen, but Hadley keeps him on the right side of the line so, no matter how outrageous William is, you can’t help loving him. This is especially true in the scene following a very uncomfortable dinner party when William arrives having been the victim of queer bashing. My heart really went out to him at that point.

My one real issue with the writing is that, try as I might, I can’t see why Tony and Greg are together. I know opposites attract, aside from a quick fling, I really don’t understand how they have managed to have a five-year relationship. Greg is cold, unemotional and rather self-centred. He doesn’t strike me as someone that ever wanted a real relationship and, in that respect, he is definitely not a match for Tony. Plummer-Cambridge plays Greg well but I just don’t think he is that well written as a character. Finally, young Robert. Tom Lambert is making his West End debut in Coming Clean and really does well. In the first act, Lambert plays Robert as a shy, naive young man who seems to blush every time someone speaks to him. However, by Act II, there is another side to him revealed and there is a moment in Lambert’s last scene where Robert has a little smile on his lips that led to a complete re-evaluation of the character.

Director Adam Spreadbury-Maher applies a deft touch to the production, particularly with the scene changes which are subtle and keep the pace moving along nicely. Amanda Mascarenhas’ living room set is very appropriate for the setting and as the space is fairly small, it really feels as if the audience are right in the story with the characters.

All told, Coming Clean is a fascinating play in its own right. Whilst it is, obviously, a gay play, if the characters of Tony and Robert were female, then it would be equally effective as a ‘straight’ play. The story is about relationships and trust, two fundamental parts of human lives. This production brings the story to life well with a talented cast making all four interconnected characters both believable and very human and is a welcome addition to the current crop of plays in the West End.

4 stars

Review by Terry Eastham

“We haven’t been faithful to each other since we met… why have you suddenly decided you’re not in the mood for sharing?”
The producers behind the Olivier nominated La Boheme transfer Kevin Elyot’s revolutionary drama following a critically acclaimed run at the King’s Head Theatre.

Tony and Greg seem to have love all figured out. They’re in a committed relationship but with room for a little more on the side whenever it takes their fancy. The only rule? Never sleep with the same man twice.

When drop-dead gorgeous Robert walks into their lives, the fragile foundations of their sexual contract are thrown into jeopardy.

Director Adam Spreadbury-Maher
Set Designer Amanda Mascarenhas
Lighting Designer Nic Farman

Cast
Lee Knight as Tony
Elliot Hadley as William/Jurgen
Tom Lambert as Robert
Stanton Plummer-Cambridge as Greg.

Booking Period: 9 January – 2 February 2019
Running Time: 1 hour 55 minutes including an interval – Latecomers will not be admitted.

Age Restrictions: 16+
Warning: This show features full frontal nudity and smoking scenes.
Please note: Latecomers will not be admitted
Trafalgar Studios 2, 14 Whitehall, Westminster, London SW1A 2DY

Buy Tickets

Tagged With: TrafalgarStudios

Black Friday Ticket Offers

Latest News & Reviews

Titanic the Musical at the Bridewell Theatre | Review

Twenty-one named characters plus an eleven-strong ensemble would make … [Read More...]

Wicked Announces 2024/25 London Cast

WICKED, the West End and Broadway musical phenomenon that tells the … [Read More...]

She Stoops to Conquer at The Orange Tree Theatre | Review

I first read She Stoops to Conquer in 1986 whilst studying English … [Read More...]

A Christmas Carol at The Old Vic 2023 | Review

Born in 1812, Charles Dickens endured a harsh upbringing: when he was … [Read More...]

Lady J at Waterloo East Theatre | Review

This was my first visit to Waterloo East Theatre: tucked away under … [Read More...]

For Black Boys Who Have Considered… Returns to the West End

The Royal Court Theatre and Nimax Theatres have today announced that … [Read More...]

The Witches at the Olivier Theatre National Theatre | Review

Given the title of the production, a coven of fifteen witches (yes, I … [Read More...]

Copyright www.LondonTheatre1.com
By using our website you’re confirming that you’re happy to accept our use of cookies.
Privacy Policy & Cookies - Advertising - About Us - Newsletter - Contact Us