• Review For Us
  • List Your Show
  • Advertising
  • Musicals
  • Plays
  • Ballet & Dance
  • Previews
  • First Look
Theatre Weekly
  • Home
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Digital Theatre
  • Tickets
    • Last Minute
    • Cinema
    • Discounts
    • Musicals
    • Plays
    • Opera
    • Dance
    • Concerts
    • Attractions
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Theatre Weekly
  • Home
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Digital Theatre
  • Tickets
    • Last Minute
    • Cinema
    • Discounts
    • Musicals
    • Plays
    • Opera
    • Dance
    • Concerts
    • Attractions
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Theatre Weekly
No Result
View All Result
Home Reviews

Review: Outlying Islands at The King’s Head Theatre

Greg Stewart by Greg Stewart
January 15, 2019
Reading Time: 3min read
Outlying Islands Review Kings Head Theatre

Outlying Islands Review Kings Head Theatre

David Greig’s Outlying Islands was first performed at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2002, when it then transferred to the Royal Court in an Olivier Award nominated run.  While it was revived in Edinburgh a few years ago, this run at The King’s Head from associate company, Atticist is this first London revival since the original.

Directed by Jessica Lazaar, Outlying Islands is based in part on the real-life adventures of two ornithologists exploring a remote Scottish island.  In this fictional version, it’s 1939 and the pair of university graduates have been sent by ‘The Ministry’ to study the allusive fork-tail.  But war is coming and the real reason they are there is revealed to them by the island’s owner; the Government wants to test Anthrax on this forgotten rock, forty miles out to sea.

The owner and his niece, Ellen have accompanied Robert and John on their month-long expedition.  The island is usually only inhabited by sheep, birds and wildlife, so there’s little in the way of amenities. Completely cut off from civilisation, Robert embraces the freedoms that their new home affords, “we can do anything” he exclaims in wide-eyed wonder.  While more cautious in approach, John also sees opportunities, and for both characters we see how this will push them to their limits.

As the only female on the island, played wonderfully by Rose Wardlaw, Ellen wields considerable power over her new companions.  Shy and reclusive at first, events on the first night offer her a new kind of freedom too.  The sexual tension simmers slowly over the first act, finally coming to the boil in the second, in a fantastically stirring and emotional scene.

I was lucky enough to spend two years living in the Outer Hebrides, albeit in more modern times, and on a far more densely populated island.  Still, the feeling of complete isolation combined with a sense of release is one that I’ve always struggled to describe. David Greig’s writing and Anna Lewis’s design capture all of these feelings perfectly, while Christopher Preece’s sound design evokes the glory of the natural surroundings and the crushing despair of remoteness.

You mightalso like

Rafaella Marcus

Interview: Rafaellla Marcus on The You Play Volume Two: The Haunted Woman

Olivia Williams

Casting Announced For The You Play Volume Two: The Haunted Woman

The relationship between John and Robert is beautifully developed.  Clearly friends for a long time, they accept easily that they will be rivals for Ellen’s affections.  They also understand each other completely, exploiting their differences and taking advantage of their similarities to be able to get the most from their friendship.  Tom Machell gives a fascinating performance as Robert, exhibiting childlike exuberance in one instance, to dark selfishness in the next.  Jack McMillan as John is the glue that holds everything together, consistently strong and able to convey so much in physical movements alone.

Outlying Islands has some wonderful moments of comedy, often slapstick in a nod to Ellen’s favourite movie characters, but this play is at its best when it’s exploring the relationship between each of the characters.  Each of them knows that even in their isolation, they are experiencing freedoms that are being threatened elsewhere around the world, how they react and then interact with each other is wonderful to watch.  A truly captivating production, authentically staged and beautifully performed.

 

1 of 6
- +
Jack McMillan Tom Machell courtesy of Clive Barda
Tom Machell Rose Wardlaw courtesy of Clive Bard
Tom Machell courtesy of Clive Bard
Ken Drury Jack McMillan courtesy of Clive Bard
Ken Drury Jack McMillan courtesy of Clive Bard
Ken Drury courtesy of Clive Barda
ADVERTISEMENT

1. Jack McMillan Tom Machell courtesy of Clive Barda

Outlying Islands Kings Head Theatre Jack McMillan Tom Machell courtesy of Clive Barda

2. Tom Machell Rose Wardlaw courtesy of Clive Bard

Outlying Islands Kings Head Theatre Tom Machell Rose Wardlaw courtesy of Clive Bard

3. Tom Machell courtesy of Clive Bard

Outlying Islands Kings Head Theatre Tom Machell courtesy of Clive Bard

4. Ken Drury Jack McMillan courtesy of Clive Bard

Outlying Islands Kings Head Theatre Ken Drury Jack McMillan courtesy of Clive Bard

5. Ken Drury Jack McMillan courtesy of Clive Bard

Outlying Islands Kings Head Theatre Ken Drury Jack McMillan courtesy of Clive Bard

6. Ken Drury courtesy of Clive Barda

Outlying Islands Kings Head Theatre Ken Drury courtesy of Clive Barda

Summary
Reviewer
Greg Stewart
Review Date
2019-01-15
Reviewed Item
Outlying Islands at The King’s Head Theatre
Author Rating
51star1star1star1star1star
Greg Stewart

Greg Stewart

Greg is an award-winning writer with a huge passion for theatre. He has appeared on stage, as well as having directed several plays in his native Scotland. Greg is the founder and editor of Theatre Weekly

Related Articles

Rafaella Marcus
Interviews

Interview: Rafaellla Marcus on The You Play Volume Two: The Haunted Woman

Olivia Williams
Digital

Casting Announced For The You Play Volume Two: The Haunted Woman

Hannah Bristow
Interviews

Interview: Hannah Bristow on A Passion Play

The Portal Image by Mihaela Bodlovic
News

New Podcast, The Portal, Announced by Martin Green, Wils Wilson, and David Greig

Review Adventures With The Painted People from Pitlochry Festival Theatre
Reviews

Review: Adventures With The Painted People from Pitlochry Festival Theatre

Pitlochry Festival Theatre Adventures With The Painted People
News

BBC Radio 3 to Première Pitlochry Festival Theatre Production of David Greig’s New Play Adventures With The Painted People

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

I agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Follow Us

  • The Barn Theatre will be releasing an archive recording of their 2019 Built by Barn production Daddy Long Legs for a limited number of dates over the Valentine’s Day and February half term weekends @thebarntheatrecirencester #Theatre #TheatreWeekly #LondonTheatre #daddylonglegs #jeanwebster #johncaird #kirstiedavis #paulgordon #rebeccajaynedavies #ryanbennett #thebarntheatre
  • Canterbury’s newest arts venue, The Malthouse Theatre, will play host to a dazzling pantomime this Christmas with a glittering new production of Beauty And The Beast #Theatre #TheatreWeekly #LondonTheatre #beautyandthebeast #josephhodges #paultate #themalthousetheatre
  • West End star Danielle Steers who appeared in Jim Steinman’s monster hit stage musical Bat Out of Hell, is releasing The Future Ain’t What It Used To Be, an intimate album of nine Steinman songs @misssteers #Theatre #TheatreWeekly #LondonTheatre #batoutofhell #daniellesteers #jimsteinman #thefutureaintwhatitusedtobe
  • Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch has announced the world premiere of a new everyday comedy, Sharon
  • Without Walls, a unique network of over 30 festivals that brings outdoor arts to people across the UK, welcomes three new partners: Timber Festival, Certain Blacks and The Culture House @withoutwallsconsortium #Theatre #TheatreWeekly #LondonTheatre #certainblacks #theculturehouse #timberfestival #withoutwalls
Twitter Facebook Youtube Instagram

At Theatre Weekly we give theatre a new audience. You'll find our theatre news, theatre reviews and theatre interviews are written from an audience point of view. Our great value London theatre tickets will get you the best deal for your theatre tickets.
Theatre Weekly, Kemp House, 152 - 160 City Road, London EC1V 2NX
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact Us
  • Advertising

Recent News

Daddy Long Legs c. Evoke Pictures

The Barn Theatre Production Of The Musical Daddy Long Legs To Be Streamed Online

Paul Tate Beauty and The Beast

Beauty and The Beast to Run at Canterbury’s Malthouse Theatre in 2021

© 2020 Theatre Weekly

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Tickets
  • Digital Theatre
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Contact Us

© 2020 Theatre Weekly

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Cookie Policy.