“The latest from the writer of The Flick and John takes place in an enclosed, wood-panelled room with no access to daylight where a group of writers have been gathered under the leadership of Sandy (Conleth Hill) to come up with what might be a new Hollywood fantasy blockbuster or perhaps is a TV series. It is a slow burn that takes neat pops at the way storytelling has become a money-spinning religion in Hollywood and big business, and probes who gets to tell stories and who gets a place at the table to tell them. It lasts for two hours without an interval, and is knitted together with such care and intricacy that I suspect that it will continue to offers up its hidden narrative moments and sphinx-like meanings for weeks to come.”
“In the last few years, playwright Annie Baker has become a bit of a cult figure. The Flick, which followed the meandering conversations of cinema ushers, was a massive hit on both sides of the Atlantic. Her position was cemented with John, another slow-paced and intensely atmospheric play set in a peculiar B&B. This hotly anticipated new play has had a host of brilliant reviews from critics & users - but it's definitely not everyone's cup of tea as there's a few 1 stars in the mix too.”
Overview
Following acclaimed runs of The Flick and John, Pulitzer Prize-winner Annie Baker returns to the National Theatre with her latest extraordinary play. Their phones switched off, a group of peope sit around a table telling, categorising and theorising stories.
This is a world that is both familiar and fantastical. Their real purpose is never quite clear, but they continue on, searching for the monstrous.
Part satire, part sacred rite, The Antipodes asks what value stories have for a world in crisis.
Critic reviews
A very funny production
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The Upcoming
It's all so sharp, and so pertinent, venturing to worlds where most playwrights fear to tread
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WhatsOnStage
Another superbly clever and ambiguous play from Annie Baker, with a brilliant ensemble led by Conleth Hill
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The Stage
Annie Baker searches for the sting in the tale
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The Guardian
Eight people are trapped in an endless pitching meeting in another cryptic masterpiece from Annie Baker
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Time Out
Spry, surprising, very funny, and likely to haunt the subconscious far more effectively than anything else this Halloween
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Broadway World
Knitted together with such care and intricacy: a masterclass in the generosity of ensemble acting
Lyn Gardner for Stagedoor
Marvellous acting pervades deftly paced production
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The Independent
A gruelling parody of corporate creativity
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The Times
Beautifully detailed performances
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Financial Times
Annie Baker's philosophical study of storytelling is pure pleasure
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Evening Standard
A disquieting, dazzling piece from a great modern American playwright
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The Telegraph
Mysterious and gently momentous
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The Arts Desk
Creatives
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