Internationally recognised art and literary critic, writer and cultural producer. Published in ELLE, Glamour, Esquire and Cosmopolitan; member of the Union of Writers.
You are invited to celebrate the wedding of Leila and Joel. But don’t expect a conventional ceremony. Instead, prepare to witness a theatrical experiment that will challenge your assumptions, test your boundaries and make you question everything you think you know about art and truth.
A Mirror is a new play by Sam Holcroft, a rising star of British theatre who has won acclaim for her previous works, such as Rules for Living and Edgar & Annabel. The play, which premiered at the Almeida Theatre in 2023, was hailed by critics as “extraordinary and mesmeric”, “powerful and absorbing” and “brilliantly mischievous”. Now, the play transfers to the Trafalgar Theatre in London’s West End, where it will run for a strictly limited season from January 22 to April 20, 2024.
A Mirror is set in a London apartment, where an Oscar-winning American actor, an English director and a Northern Irish playwright are rehearsing a play about the Troubles. The play, written by Ruth Davenport, is a controversial and provocative piece that aims to expose the truth behind the conflict. However, as the rehearsal progresses, it becomes clear that the three collaborators have very different interpretations of Ruth’s script, as well as of the history, politics and ethics of the situation. As they argue, manipulate and deceive each other, the lines between reality and fiction, art and propaganda, and creativity and corruption blur and break.
A Mirror is a razor-sharp satire that skewers the pretensions and the perils of the entertainment industry, especially in the era of fake news and cancel culture. The play explores the themes of identity, culture, censorship and authorship, and how they are influenced and distorted by those who seek fame, fortune and influence. The play also raises questions about the role and the responsibility of art, and who has the right to tell whose story.
The play stars Jonny Lee Miller, Tanya Reynolds and Micheal Ward, who reprise their roles from the Almeida production. Miller, who is best known for his roles in Trainspotting and Elementary, plays Jay Conway, the Hollywood star who is cast as a Belfast loyalist in Ruth’s play. Reynolds, who rose to fame with her roles in Sex Education and Scenes with Girls, plays Ruth Davenport, the young and ambitious playwright who has a personal stake in the story. Ward, who won a BAFTA for his role in Top Boy, plays Adem, a mysterious and charismatic figure who has a connection to Ruth and Jay.
The play is directed by Jeremy Herrin, a renowned theatre and film director who has worked with some of the most prestigious companies and venues in the UK, such as the National Theatre, the Royal Court and the West End. Herrin has also collaborated with TheatreHD, a project that broadcasts live and recorded performances from the best theatres in the world on cinema screens, making theatre accessible to everyone.
A Mirror is a co-production of Second Half Productions and Riverside Studios, and is part of the January program of TheatreHD, which also includes other theatrical gems such as The Nutcracker by Rudolf Nureyev from the Vienna Opera, The Magic Flute by Mozart from the Royal Opera House, and Twelfth Night by Shakespeare from the Globe Theatre.
A Mirror will run for a strictly limited eight-week season from January 22 to April 20, 2024 at the Trafalgar Theatre in London. You can find the schedule and buy tickets on the Trafalgar Theatre website. Don’t miss this chance to see one of the most hilarious and horrifying comedies of the year, starring three of the most brilliant and versatile actors of our time.
