Review: Pearls Recommended, Drayton Arms Theatre

Built in the nineteenth century, the Drayton Arms Theatre in South West London is a fitting venue for Pearls Recommended, a similarly period production steeped in tradition and class that explores themes of duty, expectation and identity. Set in the American South, this one-act, two-hander follows the relationship between aspiring novelist Anne and her lifelong best friend, Charlie.

Anna Johnston, who also wrote the play, delivers a compelling performance as Anne, a young woman struggling to confront her true feelings about attending her debutante ball and the consequences of rejecting the life expected of her. Johnston conveys Anne’s internal conflict with subtlety, allowing moments of hesitation and vulnerability to speak louder than words.

Opposite her, Drew Cleveland is perfectly cast as Charlie, the endearing, if occasionally infuriating, best friend. Their relationship shifts effortlessly between playful, sibling-like banter and moments of genuine intimacy, hinting at feelings beneath the surface without ever making them explicit. It is this ambiguity that gives the play much of its emotional weight. As Anne delays getting ready for the ball, Charlie arrives in full formal attire as her chosen escort. This is a duty he clearly undertakes out of loyalty and affection for Anne, rather than any enthusiasm for the occasion.

One of the production’s highlights comes when Charlie reads aloud from the Debutante Ball Escort Guide. The scene is both amusing and revealing, offering an insight into the rigid etiquette of debutante culture while allowing Cleveland to demonstrate excellent comic timing. It provides welcome humour without undermining the emotional tension that runs throughout the play and landed well with the audience.

Anne’s ambition to become a published novelist sits at the heart of the drama. Her concern that participating in the debutante tradition could damage her literary credibility introduces an intriguing conflict between personal ambition and inherited expectation. While this dilemma is compelling, it feels as though there is room to explore it further, particularly the wider pressures placed upon women attempting to forge their own identities outside traditional social conventions.

As Charlie encourages Anne to remain true to herself, the emotional stakes continue to rise and we discover that he too feels trapped by expectation, burdened with the knowledge that he will inherit a financial dynasty for which he has no passion. The parallels between the two characters become increasingly apparent, highlighting how privilege can be as restrictive as it is advantageous.

Director Esther Fernández Guerra deserves praise for her thoughtful use of the intimate performance space. The physical movement between the actors mirrors the shifting dynamics of their relationship, while the minimalist staging creates an atmosphere that allows the performances and dialogue to remain the focus.

Pearls Recommended is an engaging exploration of the emotional cost of living according to expectations. The script relies heavily on subtext, but it does so with confidence, trusting its audience to read between the lines. While certain aspects of Anne’s writing aspirations could be developed further, the play succeeds thanks to its strong script and convincing performances. There is clear potential for Anne and Charlie’s story to be expanded, making this an intriguing and emotionally resonant piece that lingers long after the final scene.

Written by Anna Johnston
Directed by Esther Fernández Guerra
Produced by Violet Morris, Joey Williams, Nell Golledge

This production has now completed its run at The Drayton Arms Theatre.