A one star review

A Big Day for the Goldbergs 
New End Theatre, Hampstead.


As an actor and sometime director myself, I fear writing an official review for something that I take a strong dislike to. Why? Well I don't want to annoy directors, Olivia Rowe in this case, or fellow actors when I come away disappointed from an evening at the theatre when it's obvious that they've tried to make the best of a bad lot. But it's my role to review, so review I must. 

To quote from the press release for this play "North London's special home to Jewish theatre announces this light-hearted slice of modern provincial life starring the Archers' Amy Shindler." 

That name is the only saving grace in this production. I would have wished that this was a one woman show and that woman was Amy Shindler.

It seems, again from reading the press release, that this is a reworking of the "knockout" version of this play which premiered in 2010. The play examines the lives and relationships of the female members of the Goldberg family of Leeds.

The writer, Brian Daniels, has taken what was a two person production mainly constructed of monologues about their own lives and their relationship with their mother and has enlarged the role of the mother as a "nod towards the tough decisions that come with parenthood, middle-age and imminent divorce". Well in the mind of this provincial Jewish man he shouldn't have bothered. 

The sisters Goldberg, played by the rather engaging Brenda Tucker, sorry I mean Amy Shindler, and the somewhat entertaining Suzanne Goldberg, manage to make the best of a cliche laden script beset by the presence of the "Mother" character. I couldn't help but wonder how much more entertaining this evening would have been had it not been for the somewhat arboreal nature of Jane Hayward as the mother. 

I'm not going to give away any of the plot details here as really there are that many to give away. 

Is it worth seeing? Well if you've nothing else to do and find yourself in Hampstead and you're a fan of the Archers and want to see what Brenda looks like and sounds like in real life then yes, go for it. If however you like better constructed, more challenging, more entertaining theatre then spend your money elsewhere.