Sometimes it takes a moment for me to remember how lucky I am to live in Hampstead, and so close to one of my favourite theatres, Hampstead Theatre. I really appreciate the culture it brings to my local area, and I often try to see as much as I can.
I have just come home from having seen Kiss Me at Hampstead Theatre, a new play written by Richard Bean. He also wrote One Man, Two Guvnors and Made In Dagenham, which are two of my favourite plays. Kiss Me has had great reviews but I always like to form my own opinion. So for that very reason alone I was looking forward to seeing the play earlier on this afternoon. And it didn’t disappoint at all.
A man and a woman are in a room: about to embark on a secret deal that has the power to change both their lives forever. Their one rule? Kissing is strictly forbidden. As our two protagonists bond and sink deeper into the unknown, they are thrown into a conflict that may affect them a lot more than either one anticipated. Set after the first World War, Bean writes his characters with deep sympathy and exposes the difficulties of living in a society broken by war. Men and women were both affected, and he gives us a great understanding of what it meant to both of these characters and understand their motivations.
I have always been attracted to the simplicity of theatre: the idea of watching two people communicate with each other for an uninterrupted period of time speaks to me on a deeply personal level, at the same time mirroring that of real life. The interactions and stories shared between the main protagonists was constantly engaging and led to a compelling drama between a man and a woman post-WWI. It’s on until Saturday December 3rd, and I highly recommend that you go and see it if you can.
Lynda X
Lynda lives in London. She is a mixed media artist and There Is Always More To Say is her first novel.