Richard Eyre’s writing debut has been a long time coming. The veteran director, recognised numerous times at the Olivier Awards (including with a lifetime achievement award), finally turned his hand to writing during the pandemic. The result is The Snail House, a two-hour political play which premiered earlier this week at the Hampstead Theatre. Eyre – the former artistic director of the National Theatre – also directs the show, which features Vincent Franklin in the lead role.
Franklin – perhaps best known for his TV work, as one of the leads in Russell T Davies’ hit shows Cucumber and Banana (but also from major BBC shows including Bodyguard and The Thick of It) – plays the role of Neil, who we assume is based on Chris Whitty. Neil is a renowned medical advisor to the government, who has played a leading role offering guidance during the pandemic, and has recently been knighted for his services to public health; the premise of the play is that he’s throwing a party for family and friends to celebrate.
The party itself is not the focus of the play, however – we see the set up and the aftermath, but the celebrations themselves occur off stage or during the interval. What we are privy to instead are the behind-the-scenes conversations between Neil and his wife Val (Eva Pope), and their children Hugo (Patrick Walshe McBride) and Sarah (Grace Hogg-Robinson). We also gain insights into the lives of catering staff members Florence (Amanda Bright), Habeeb (Raphel Famitobe) and Wynona (Megan McDonnell). The stage is set for a political drama – so how does it unfold?
Well, the premise is strong, but The Snail House sadly never quite delivers in a meaningful way. There are pacing issues – act one moves quickly and sets up lots of
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