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Theatre review

The Suicide, National Theatre, London

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This is an update of a play for which, Nikolai Erdman, the original author spent time in Siberia, in the 1930s. This version is set in current UK with social media, local politics and hip-hop slam rap being lampooned.

On the day I saw it Adrian Richards, the understudy, played Sam and was excellent.

It is funny and the characters are well written and recognisable. There are bits that could go, I’m not sure what seeing Maggie Thatcher in the afterlife added to the proceedings. I will look out for Suhayla El-Bushra’s writing in the future. The set was great too, it cleverly moved back and forth between the inside and outside of an authentic looking tower block flat.

While the state here is not going to feel threatened by this play, it was entertaining, interesting and showed promise.

Recommended.