A competent revival of a touching play.

“I am authentic Basildon, I am”, is the phrase with which we are welcomed to the regional premiere of In Basildon, the hit show by David Eldridge, that opened to critical acclaim at the Royal Court in 2012. Although the atmosphere of having this show performed to a local audience was electric, this production leaves a lot to be desired, outside occasional flashes of brilliance. The Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch is an impressive size, but Director Douglas Rintoul has made the ...

David Eldridge Directed by Dominic Cooke ★★ Pros: A part of the country that few playwrights choose to write about and a well-executed artistic vision.  Cons: Not very inspired writing, a couple of badly placed, almost caricature-like secondary characters and a rather dull and unnecessary ending, difficult to engage with the main characters. Our Verdict: Probably not worth your money considering what else you could be watching, but if serious drama really is your thing, then you may want to ...