Annie Wobbler (Revisited) by Arnold Wesker, The Finborough Theatre, 118 Finborough Road, London SSW10 | until 26 September 2026 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by William Russell
Photo credit: Ella Carmen Dale
Annie Wobbler (Revisited)
by Arnold Wesker
The Finborough Theatre, 118 Finborough Road, London SSW10 | until 26 September 2026
⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by William Russell
“Marvellous McAuliffe is magnificent.”
There are playwrights who get forgotten and one such is Arnold Wesker so this version of his 1981 play – Nicola McAuliffe, who starred in it then has been given permission to revisit it and has amended it in various ways, updating and altering the running order of the stories of three women so that it now ends with the down and out Annie Wobbler – is doubly welcome. It reminds us that there was a playwright called Wesker and also gives us a chance to see the marvellous McAuliffe. But this version ending up in the West End – it was staged originally at Birmingham Rep, moved to the sadly lost New End Theatre in Hampstead, and finally to the Fortune Theatre – is remote to say the least as times have indeed changed. Wesker presents three women, Anna, a student with an annoying boyfriend, now updated to Generation, Annabella, a middle-aged Scottish writer faced with an aggravating interviewer, and - now moved to the end - the best one, Annie Wobbler, a bag lady taking shelter in Waterloo Station and talking about life and the world she inhabits. They are all beautifully delivered by McAuliffe but her Annie is something very special indeed. Had Wesker written his play today the chances are that he would have been derided for daring to create women and show how they think and behave but the play survives the change in fashion. It has been imaginatively staged, McAuliffe directs herself and does some terrific costume and character changes using a handy screen placed centre stage, while assorted men provide voices off – Alex Jennings is the boyfriend, Jim Naughtie the interviewer and Peter Straker the station master who tells Annie Waterloo is closing down and she must leave. But apart from McAuliffe's performance it is worth seeing, although she has changed things a fair bit, as a reminder that once upon a time there was a man called Wesker who wrote plays to great acclaim,
Cast
Nicola McAuliffe - Anna, Annabella, Annie
Alex Jennings – The Boyfriend
Jim Naughtie – The Interviewer
Peter Straker – The Station Master
Creatives
Lighting Design - Richard House
Sound Design -Sebatsian Frost
Stage Manager – Yuya Manda
