Ragdoll by Katherine Moar. Jermyn Street Theatre, 16b Jermyn Street, London SW1Y until 15 November 2025, 4☆☆☆☆. Review: William Russell.

Photo Credit: Alex Brenner.

Ragdoll by Katherine Moar. Jermyn Street Theatre, 16b Jermyn Street, London SW1Y until 15 November 2025,

4☆☆☆☆. Review: William Russell.

“Splendidly acted and thrilling.”

Inspired by the true story of heiress Patty Hearst who was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army, raped and brainwashed into joining them this taut, fascinating play sets up a meeting between a lawyer who defended a young woman in similar circumstance and now, years later, needs her help. Moar has created a four hander as the couple now and the couple then react to the way they behaved then and are behaving now. It creates fascinating tensions and terrific performances from the four strong cast make this an extremely rewarding evening even if Moar has not quite found a way to end it. Robert, played by Nathaniel Parker, is faced with a charge of improper behaviour which threatens to ruin his career. He is in his home, which he is in the process of leaving, his latest wife having left him, when Holly, played by Abigail Cruttenden, arrives not having seen him since he lost her case and she ended up in prison. Will she help? What does he want her to do? Then their younger selves played by Katie Matsell and Ben Lamb appear and the action becomes complicated as then and now start to mingle and the older couple see what they were once, the younger ones what they became. Hearst went to prison – she was involved in a bank raid with the SLA – seen at the time as spoilt heiress who joined them for kicks whereas today the case would be treated very differently – as the young Holly says she was raped. The significance of the large cream couch which dominates the stage and which he insists nobody sits on is not very clear but it does, as one expects, get violated eventually.

Cast

Abigail Cruttenden – Holly

Ben Lamb – The Lawyer

Katie Matsell – The Heiress

Nathaniel Parker – Robert

Ian Drysdale – TV Host (Pre-recorded)

Creatives

Director – Josh Seymour

Set Designer – Cecil Calf

Costume Designer – Tom Paris

Lighting Designer – Jamie Platt

Composer & Sound Designer – Les Kosanke

Movement Director – Anjali Mahra

Dialect Coach – Andrea Fudge

Voice Coach – Tess Dignam