Clyde’s - Donmar Warehouse

Yes, going in a couple of weeks.  American reviews suggest it's more of a comedy than her usual stuff.

I am going in two weeks- expecting it to be good (fingers crossed...)

That's what I assumed; as up until yesterday had a grey bit and a / (so no one could book)!

I've booked for November in any case as had a credit to redeem.

I agree with Parsley (welcome back!) that this is terrific entertainment.

A little lightweight compared to Nottage's previous works, feeling a little like a conventional Hollywood redemption story, but still meaningful, with brilliantly defined characters, loads of laughs, and the entire ensemble is to die for, with Giles Terera and Ronke Adekoluejo utterly brilliant.

Some spoilers follow. . .

This play is like Bruce Norris's "Downstate," without the horrific problematic complexity. In that play, the ex-cons sharing a group home were all paedophiles, and it felt genuinely disturbing that Norris was writing them something of a redemption arc, and saying, how do we live with these people?

This is more conventional "Hollywood" redemption comedy, where there's something cuddly about most of the ex-cons: Rafael (Sebastian Orozco), the bankrobber did the haemlich manoeuvre to save his victim; Letitia (Ronke Adekoluejo), the pharmacy thief was motivated to save her dying daughter; Jason (Patrick Gibson), the former racist gang member now just wants to get along. . .

Giles Terera's sandwich "sensei," Montrellous, has to coach this ragtag band of misfits into making the best sandwiches in the kitchen of a truck stop diner, Clyde's, but how did such a talented and inspiring guy come to work here?

And just how evil is their boss, Clyde (Gbemisola Ikumelo), who was kind enough to hire them all, but may have ulterior motives and is a bit of a female Weinstein?

This all plays like Cobra Kai, where a loveable sensei (the term seems to have been pinched directly from Cobra Kai lol) has to coach the bruised humanity out of his misfits, while the Kreese-style bully tries to stop him.

Or if you haven't seen Cobra Kai, it's like Star Wars, where Yoda must coach a band of redeemable misfits, while Vader looks on - a classic entertaining template that makes this simultaneously irrepressible fun, as well as being significantly less challenging and confronting than Ruined, Sweat, Intimate Apparel and Mlima's Tale.

The performances soar. Giles Terera and Ronke Adekoluejo gave two of the most endearing, moment-for-moment captivating, and funny performances in the National's "Blues for an Alabama Sky," and, for me, they absolutely do it again here, with Terera's Montrellous's enthusiasm for cooking exciting and inspirational, and Adekoluejo's impulsive and natural reactions, to everyone and everything around her even more of an infectious joy.

Gbemisola Ikumelo is a force of nature as the tough, inscrutable boss, Sebastian Orozco has great comic timing as the aspiring sous chef who obviously adores Ronke Adekoluejo's character, and Patrick Gibson successfully sells the least believable character, tattooed to the hilt with hate, with nary a hateful line, by his sheer attentiveness to everyone around him.

All in all, I loved this for it's warmheartedness, it's on point humour, it's pitch perfect ensemble and it's corny (but truthful) message. It's just great fun.

4 and a half stars from me.

It's very good. Beautifully acted (though Uzo Aduba in the titular role isn't really anywhere near scary enough) and directed, and Lynn Nottage's way with words is truly wonderful.

It doesn't have the impact of Sweat, and I wouldn't say it's as good, partly because it has a more fantastical approach to its subject. But it's a lovely evening in the theatre that leaves you feeling better about humanity and hungry for a great sandwich too. Four stars.

Oops. My bad. Thanks. Checked the playtext and looked quickly at the Broadway cast. Doh! It's Gbemisola Ikumelo. Who's very good but still not scary enough.

Yes

Cooking frying chopping griddling toasting

Plenty of bread and salad about

Definitely some meat fried and cheese grilled

Looks like I'm an outlier here but I thought this was only good. I had high hopes after Ruined and Sweat but I didn't think this had the same weight as either piece.

To the credit, I think the acting is superb, particularly Giles Terera, although I never quite bought Clyde's character. I thought some of the individual writing was terrific, particularly Terera's exposition towards the end.

But ultimately I felt it was too much of a chamber piece to have the same effect as either of the previous pieces, and it wasn't quite funny enough to be described as a comedy.

Perhaps I went in with too high expectations following the reviews and some of the comments here, but I left feeling that I'd seen a distinctly mid-range production overall, despite some specific strengths.

I don't know if some of the staging has been changed, but there were not many cooking smells last night (and I was sitting front row centre stalls) but certainly loads of chopping and preparing, but not so much hot stuff. Did wonder whether for this play it might be better sitting circle or back stalls as looking up at the stage some of the prep details were lost.

Nice touch to have Patrick Gibson playing Jason, given he played the same character in Sweat at the Donmar.

I loved this, best thing I have seen this year for sure. Loved everything about it, the text, the acting, music, staging. Can’t really add anything more insightful than what’s already been said, only that I think it’s brilliant. Saw Sweat and for me this is just as good. I also recommend getting the programme as there are two v interesting essays in it, quite fundamental to fully understand the play.

I saw this last night. Almost full house.

I did like it. It was well written, acted, and directed. Still, I wish it had a bit more substance.

I am not sure I got Clyde's character. She is just mean with not much going on, I found her a bit flat.

A couple of minor things. There is a false ending before the real one. Probably director's fault, leaves the stage empty a bit too long.

Too much food wasted. Call me a prude but I don't like that. I assume some of it will be fake, but obviously not the one they taste!

I hadn’t planned so seeing this but early board positive reviews persuaded me to get a one of the remaining tickets in the sides of the circle section and I’m glad I did. A really enjoyable and engaging 100 minute play from Lynn Nottage performed brilliantly by the cast of 5. A really nice balance of serious points to be made about redemption of the diner cooks with some really biting comedy. 

A really lovely diner set from designer Frankie Bradshaw. Siting on the side in the circle gave a good vantage point to see all the smaller details of the food prep. Though I didn’t set much of a smell of the frying or cooking of stuff from my seat.

One criticism I did have with this production was with Clyde. Great acting from Gbemisola with plenty of sass and attitude, but I would have liked a bit more back story to her and for the reasons she was the way she was. Things are hinted at with debt and emotional scars but these issues really don’t get fully explored and all you end up with is a horrible boss and not much else. 

The straight through play was very much welcomed and offered a chance to pick up a sandwich post show after seeing all that food on stage made me hungry.

As a general comment, of my three DW visits this year, I will say that personally I have enjoyed all of them. It’s been a while where that has happened for me and hopefully 2024 will be just as good.  

I saw this last night and like others loved it. Can’t really add much to the comments, but thought the acting was superb and lifted it so that it didn’t feel too schamltzy, which it could have at points. I’d agree it was a little predictable, but somehow got away with it. Was just a really enjoyable night at the theatre. Packed house and very warm reaction from the audience.