Difference between revisions of "The Unfriend (2025)"

Revision as of 13:23, 5 June 2025

Poster by Callum Richardson

by Steven Moffat

Directed by Bob Callender

Performances: Tuesday 20 – Saturday 24 May 2025, and Saturday matinee Old Fire Station

Introduction

While on holiday English couple Peter and Debbie befriend Elsa: a brassy, Trump-loving widow from middle America. She’s less than woke but kind of wonderful, so they agree to stay in touch – because no one ever really does, do they? But when she invites herself to stay, they find out Elsa has a terrible secret. Peter and Debbie now face the English couple’s ultimate challenge – how do you protect all that you love from deadly peril without seeming just a little impolite?

Preview on SLT website

What appealed to you about this comedy?

I first came across this play a couple of years ago. I was hanging around in the National Theatre book shop looking for something to submit to direct and it was one of the titles they had with the cover facing out on the shelf. I think I picked it up because it had Reece Shearsmith on the front. (Shearsmith played Peter in the original Chichester Festival production; the role was picked up by Lee Mack in the West End.) Anyway I read the first few pages, decided it was funny and submitted it.

Little did I know it was still brand spanking new and hadn’t even had a London run yet, so inevitably we couldn’t get the rights initially. Fast forward two years and theatre committee dropped me an email to say that the rights to the play had come out – did I want to direct it still? “Yes” I said.

No spoilers - but what can the audience expect from the plot?

We meet Peter and Debbie (Olly Clifford and Rachael Dalton-Loveland), a predictably polite British couple who go to great lengths to avoid confrontation – until they meet Elsa (Caroline Doyle), a brash, eccentric American with a possibly sinister past. Elsa’s arrival upends their lives, turning politeness into growing anxiety. Adding to the tension are their unimpressed teenage children, Rosie and Alex (Daisy Daniell and Gabriel Garcia-Marca), along with their busybody neighbour (Mark Ireson). Meanwhile, PC Junkin (Daniel Abeshin), an unsuspecting police officer, finds his visit is anything but routine. Chaos ensues with some hilariously awkward interactions.

What have been the fun parts and the challenges for you in directing?

The challenges directing a comedy, rather than a straight play, are always the same I think. To make it actually funny you need to work really hard at the detail of timing and reactions, and also remember that for the characters on stage this is almost all deadly serious and agonising, and they’re generally having a really awful time.

Describe the play in three words

Uninvite. Undesirable. Unalive.

Cast

• Peter - Olly Clifford
• Debbie - Rachael Dalton-Loveland
• Elsa Jean Krakowski - Caroline Doyle
• Alex - Gabriel Garcia-Marca
• Rosie - Daisy Daniell
• PC Junkin - Daniel Abeshin
• Neighbour - Mark Ireson
• Killer At Large Presenter - Chaz Doyle

Crew

• Assistant Director - Kelly Q
• Stage Manager - Fiona Daffern
• Assistant Stage Manager - David Carr
• Lighting Designer - Dean Moore
• Sound Designer - Dean Moore
• Set Design - Chaz Doyle
• Projections - Dean Moore and Chaz Doyle
• Operator - Dean Moore
• Costumes - Kelly Q and the cast
• Rigging - Sean Thomas
• Show photography - Phil Gammon
• Set build - Chaz Doyle, Mark Ireson, Graham Clements, Chris Purcell, John Winters, Jason Cowell, Dennis Fenton, Alistair Simpson, Barry Heselden, Sean Thomas, cast and crew

Reviews

I was very fortunate to be able to attend the dress rehearsal of The Unfriend this evening. I became quite exhausted from laughing at one of the funniest plays of recent times, surely the funniest (so far) of the Trump era, and graced with a hysterical toilet scene. The SLT production is full of excellent comic performances, it's a MUST SEE ...and there are not many tickets left!

Chris Stooke

Well said Chris Stooke I saw a preview the other week. It's a great modern comedy. Loved it

Charlotte Benstead

Enjoyed last night. Lots of laughs and fun characters. It's a good one!

David Chappell

Well, the Unfriend performance tonight was superb. Script, acting, directing, crew were all spot on. I absolutely loved it. ( and yes guys I stayed for the 2nd half) What a wonderful show Thank you

Kay George

Caroline Doyle I loved your performance last night and echo Kay’s words above. Congrats to Bob for finding, casting and directing this brilliant play. Loved it!

Christine Theophilus

Wow! This show was sensational. I saw the West End version and this superseded it on every level. The casting was terrific; so much so that I asked Bob if Elsa was American. He told me it was Caroline! The direction and casting was exemplary, the timing brilliant and there wasn’t a weak link. I laughed my way through it and enjoyed it so much. Every element was just perfect. The cast simply smashed it. Moreover, casting Mark Ireson was genius. Hope this is the start of his stage career. Truly perfect performance! And the added bonus was how quick it was to get there via the revamped Blackwall tunnel. SLT..here I come again. Topped off by seeing lovely old friends and best of all, the lovely Bob and Anna! You all smashed it…oh and the stage management was seamless and a joy to see Fiona too..

Emma Hillman

Yes, Mark 's comic timing was impeccable. I laughed a lot. But the entire cast was amazing. Also enjoyed the Mary Poppins tie-in. An excellent show all round.

Helen Jones

Gallery

Reminiscences and Anecdotes

Members are encouraged to write about their experiences of working on or seeing this production. Please leave your name. Anonymous entries may be deleted.

See Also

Have there been other SLT productions of this play? Link to them here.

Or add anything that is related within this site. The author's page for instance or other plays with a similar theme.

References

External Links

• This play on the web