Middle is a bit of a muddle at National Theatre – review
We had high hopes for David Eldridge’s new play – the second part in a trilogy, Middle follows on from 2017’s Beginning, which we caught when it transferred to the West End and we absolutely loved it.
A cleverly-constructed two-hander, over the course of 100 minutes we gained an insight into the beginnings of a potential romance – guy meets girl at a house party, a conversation ensues, one thing leads to another and… well, you know how it goes.
Beginning was a play overflowing with clever lines, dripping with subtext, and very relatable and human exchanges. Middle follows much of the same formula – here we have another 100 minute two-hander, and the whole play is once again just a conversation between a man and a woman that unfolds during the early hours of a morning.
This time, however, we’re introduced to middle-aged couple Maggie and Gary. Almost in her first breath, Maggie tells her husband that she doesn’t love him any more; what ensues is a conversation about how her life hasn’t turned out how she wanted, how they’ve drifted apart, and starting to consider what a future might look like if they were just friends.
