North London Food & Culture

Review: Raving, Hampstead Theatre

Neurotic London parents spend a weekend in Wales in a new play that chimes with those who've swapped nightclubs for nannies

Robert Webb and Sarah Hadland in Raving. Pic: Manuel Harlan
Robert Webb and Sarah Hadland in Raving. Pic: Manuel Harlan

Three archetypal sets of rave generation parents hole themselves up in a Welsh cottage for a relaxing weekend, at a firmly mobile-reception-less distance from their little darlings. A rare bit of breathing space, then; enough for the pent up emotional turmoil, unleashed sexual desires and relationship fissures to tumble forth at pace.

Actor-turned-playwright Simon Paisley Day’s debut adult farce deals, often hilariously, with the unavoidable crises of control and identity once kids enter the equation. The characters may be fairly brutal clichés, but any London professional has almost certainly shocked themselves by falling into one or more of these neurotic parental grooves at times. All of which made the belly laughs ring out very true from various quarters of the packed house at Hampstead Theatre on our visit.

TV face Tamzin Outhwaite puts in a commanding turn as the hyper-uptight Briony, her character’s raw emotional mess ultimately proving preferable to the smarmy self-confidence of Robert Webb’s PR boss, Ross.

We know Webb can play a cracking self-confident loser, so he slips into this role easily and with familiarity. I’d worry a bit about being typecast, but then he’s clearly having a lot of fun. Slapstick, casual letching, some prime punchlines, it’s a role made in his own image.


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Roaring hoo-rahs Serena and Charles (Issy van Randwyck and Nicholas Rowe) deliver endless levity, mocking the uptight perfection of Ross and wife Rosy (Sarah Hadland) and the too-stressed-for-sex Briony with desperate man-child hubby Keith (Barnaby Kay).

Throw into the mix a breast-baring teenager, bible-bashing farmer and a thumping rave in a neighbouring field and it descends into gloriously silly escapism. Most parents in the throes of enforced hibernation during the early years of family life will enjoy the gifts of two hours thoroughly. Almost as much as they might actually like to clear the air with a blowout at the cottage – or the rave – themselves.

Modern parenting is so riddled with little annoyances, particularly when the veil of class is cast over every choice, so it’s satisfying to see it all sent up mercilessly, if perhaps rather predictably.

We laughed out loud, and then we scurried back to make the hushed takeover from the babysitter.

Raving at Hampstead Theatre, until November 23rd


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