Still Life by Noel Coward, The Grand Saloon, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London | until to 12 September 2026 ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by William Russell

Photo credit: Andreas Lambis

Still Life

by Noel Coward

The Grand Saloon, Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London | until to 12 September 2026.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review by William Russell

“A brief but delightful encounter.”

For one week only you can have afternoon tea and watch Noel Coward's Still Life, one of the ten plays he wrote for himself and Gertrude Lawrence in 1935 under the collective title of Tonight at 8.30 and subsequently immortalised in David Lean's film Brief Encounter. At £75 it is the best afternoon out in London and far more posh in terms of its surroundings than any West End hotel. Theatres often have space that is unused during the day or when they are dark and this venture could well be a sign of things to come. Directed by Tam Williams the production started life at the Mill at Sonning, but this is a new version tailored to the premises in which it is being performed. Rachel Pickup and Alasdair Craig deliver pitch perfect performances as Alec, a doctor, who comes to the aid of Laura when she gets something in her eye from a passing steam train. At first, it is just polite conversation, but then they meet again, and surprise, surprise yet again - of course, although happily enough married, they fall in love. The buffet is managed by a dragon lady called Myrtle Baggott, the tea is always served with milk, but the buns are good and various comic characters come in from time to time while some tunes of the time are played just to keep the life of the buffet going. The production does full justice to Coward's play while being something new which might be the shape of things to come for theatres. It is, of course, all happening in a world before social media and phones and is therefore a perfect play - and outing - for baby boomer theatre goers horrified by the cost of the West End theatre seats they once enjoyed and the dangers of travelling home in the dark on dodgy trains. The tea is lavish, the china exquisite, the sandwiches and cakes melt in the mouth, and the linen napkin are so beautifully embroidered they may well be stolen as souvenirs. What is more should you wish to spend a little more than champagne and wines are available. But that said the play's the thing, Pickup and Craig are terrific, and Elizabeth Elvin is a splendid old trout not quite past flirting with the porter as Myrtle. The result is a very special theatrical experience, a brief two hour long but delightful encounter.

Cast

Rachel Pickup – Laura

Alasdair Craig – Alec

Elizabeth Elvine – Myrtle

Anthony Jardine – Albert

Seren Sondham-Davies – Beryl

Creatives

Director – Tam Williams

Sound Design – Graham Weymouth

Sound Operator – Max Marchment