A major revival of Alan Ayckbourn's acclaimed play 'Woman in Mind' has opened in London's West End, starring Sheridan Smith and featuring comedian Romesh Ranganathan in a key supporting role. The production, which marks the play's 40th anniversary, is running at the Duke of York's Theatre until 28 February before embarking on a UK tour.
A Housewife's Hallucinatory Escape
Sheridan Smith takes on the central role of Susan, a profoundly disconsolate housewife living a emotionally barren life. Following a blow to the head from a garden rake, Susan retreats into a vivid, hallucinatory world that offers a stark contrast to her reality. Her daily existence is shared with a distant vicar husband, Gerald (Tim McMullan), a miserably dour sister-in-law, Muriel (Louise Brealey), and a son, Rick (Taylor Uttley), who has cut off contact after joining a sect.
Smith, who has previously portrayed women in mid-life crisis in Shirley Valentine and Opening Night, brings a delicate whimsy and subtle vulnerability to Susan. Her performance captures the character's fragile mental state, particularly in the play's first act, as she navigates the growing chasm between her bleak reality and her increasingly elaborate fantasy.
Between Retro Comedy and Surreal Nightmare
Directed by Michael Longhurst, the production masterfully blends tones, shifting from retro domestic comedy to surreal psychological nightmare. Susan's imaginary perfect family—comprising a dashing husband (Sule Rimi), an adoring daughter (Safia Oakley-Green), and a charming brother (Chris Jenks)—is rendered in garishly bright costumes (designed by Soutra Gilmour) that feel eerily artificial.
Romesh Ranganathan makes a notable stage debut as the nervy Doctor Bill, bringing his signature comedic timing to the role of the anxious medical sidekick. The design plays a crucial part, with video projections by Andrzej Goulding blurring the lines between the real and the fantastical, and a disquieting soundscape by Paul Arditti adding to the growing sense of unease.
A Timely Critique That Stands the Test of Time
First staged in 1985, Ayckbourn's play remains a strikingly original and bold critique of the emptiness of conventional married life and domestic drudgery. The revival proves its enduring power, exploring the desperation that can lead one to seek refuge in fantasy, only to discover that escape can become its own form of torment.
The play suggests Susan is not alone in her delusions; every character is in some way avoiding reality. This thematic resonance feels particularly acute in today's often bleak climate, asking potent questions about the perils of retreating into comforting fictions.
While the narrative's heightened, surreal turns in the later acts may distance some audience members emotionally, the production is consistently unnerving. The imaginary family's performative warmth becomes genuinely creepy, their evolution into nightmarish figures delivering a potent chill.
Following its London run, 'Woman in Mind' will tour to the Sunderland Empire (4-7 March) and the Theatre Royal, Glasgow (10-14 March). This is a significant revival of a modern classic, offering a compelling vehicle for Sheridan Smith's talents and a darkly comic, unsettling night at the theatre.
