• Review For Us
    • In London or across the UK
    • at Edinburgh Fringe
  • List Your Show
  • Advertising
  • Musicals
  • Plays
  • Ballet & Dance
  • Previews
  • First Look
Theatre Weekly
  • Home
  • News
    • West End
    • Off-West End
    • Regional & Tours
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Digital Theatre
  • Tickets
    • Discounts
    • Musicals
    • Plays
    • Opera
    • Dance
    • Concerts
  • Edinburgh Fringe 2025
    • Edinburgh Fringe News
    • Edinburgh Fringe Previews
    • Edinburgh Fringe Interviews
  • Contact Us
    • Join us as a Reviewer
No Result
View All Result
Theatre Weekly
  • Home
  • News
    • West End
    • Off-West End
    • Regional & Tours
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Digital Theatre
  • Tickets
    • Discounts
    • Musicals
    • Plays
    • Opera
    • Dance
    • Concerts
  • Edinburgh Fringe 2025
    • Edinburgh Fringe News
    • Edinburgh Fringe Previews
    • Edinburgh Fringe Interviews
  • Contact Us
    • Join us as a Reviewer
No Result
View All Result
Theatre Weekly
No Result
View All Result
Home Reviews

Review: The Sunset Limited at The Boulevard Theatre

by Greg Stewart
January 21, 2020
Reading Time: 3 mins read
The Sunset Limited at Boulevard Theatre Review

The Sunset Limited at Boulevard Theatre Review

The small and dingy New York apartment, that serves as the single set in Cormac McCarthy’s The Sunset Limited marks a departure from the playwrights more scenic vistas, but the themes and tone of writing are unmistakable.  The two-hander, turned into a film by Tommy Lee Jones, with Samuel L. Jackson as a co-star, comes to The Boulevard Theatre directed by Terry Johnson.

We never learn the names of the two men who stand before us on stage, the script refers to them only as Black and White, and that represents not only the colour of their skin but their outlook on life, and perhaps more importantly, death.  “You see everything in black and white…I suppose that makes the world easier to understand”, the ex-jailbird, who has embraced religion, has pulled from the railway tracks a college professor ready to meet his maker, except the professor doesn’t believe in God, he doesn’t believe in anything.

The play begins shortly after this failed suicide attempt, Black has taken White back to his apartment, determined to set him on a path of righteousness before releasing him back in to the world.  Though he denies it, Black clearly sees this as a test of his faith, the ultimate need for salvation has presented itself as quickly as the commuter train, which the play is named after, hurtles down the tracks.

       

The Sunset Limited becomes a demanding duologue, in which the characters argue, debate and interrogate each other’s outlook on life.  At first Black has the upper hand, his moral compass and intellect surprising the professor, and whatever your own religious views, you find yourself drawn to his side of the argument.  But allegiances shift throughout this play with both characters presenting equally valid and thought-provoking insights.

Black (Gary Beadle) has a little more energy about him, which isn’t surprising given that White (Jasper Britton) has just had his plans for death foiled, and so the latter spends much of the ninety minutes slumped and defeated.  That changes in the final monologue from White, which is chilling in its fervour and presents an image so bleak it seems futile to try and counter it.

You mightalso like

Richard Pepple (Mr.Bugz), Jasper Britton (Gerry Brinsler), Sule Rimi (Lamont Born Cipher) credit Marc Brenner

First Look: The Purists at Kiln Theatre

Richard Pepple (Mr Bugz), Emma Kingston (Nancy Reinstein) and Jasper Britton (Gerry Brinsler) Photo by Marc Brenner

First Look: The Purists at Kiln Theatre in rehearsal

The Sunset Limited is so thematically laden that it becomes all too easy to forget about the characters, indeed it becomes difficult to empathise or care about either of them.  Black’s initial interrogations are amusing and clever, but any sense of joy that tries to creep in is sucked up by White’s deeply negative view of the world and everything in it.  It all becomes deeply depressing, and any glimmer of hope that may have existed is well and truly snuffed out.

Still, these are important themes and both Beadle and Britton navigate through the heavy text at just the right pace, Terry Johnson’s direction is tight and ensures that the focus is always on the right character at the right time.

The Sunset Limited is more darkness than light, but the themes it explores are timely and increasingly relevant in the modern world.  It often asks questions, but rarely provides answers, choosing to stay on the platform rather than take a definitive leap towards either faith or reason.

Book The Sunset Limited Tickets

       
Gary Beadle Photo Marc Brenner
Gary Beadle Photo Marc Brenner
Jasper Britton. Photo Marc Brenner
Jasper Britton. Photo Marc Brenner
Gary Beadle and Jasper Britton. Photo Marc Brenner
Gary Beadle and Jasper Britton. Photo Marc Brenner
Gary Beadle and Jasper Britton. Photo Marc Brenner
Gary Beadle and Jasper Britton. Photo Marc Brenner
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

Richard Pepple (Mr.Bugz), Jasper Britton (Gerry Brinsler), Sule Rimi (Lamont Born Cipher) credit Marc Brenner
First Look

First Look: The Purists at Kiln Theatre

Richard Pepple (Mr Bugz), Emma Kingston (Nancy Reinstein) and Jasper Britton (Gerry Brinsler) Photo by Marc Brenner
First Look

First Look: The Purists at Kiln Theatre in rehearsal

Cast of The Purists
News

Full Cast Announced For The European Première of Dan McCabe’s The Purists

John Hopkins Timothy Hutton Kelly Price Pooya Mohseni Molly Osborne credit Alastair Muir
Reviews

Review: The Sex Party at Menier Chocolate Factory

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.

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
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, 124 City Road, London EC1V 2NX
  • Join Our Community
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Contact Us
  • Advertising

Recent News

Medusa Marketing Image supplied by the company (1)

Review: Medusa at Guildhall School of Music and Drama

Spin A Play (Credit Lynsey Nicol)

Spin-a-Play Brings Improvised Chaos to Camden Fringe 2025

© 2022 Theatre Weekly

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Tickets
  • Digital Theatre
  • News
    • News
    • West End
    • Off West End
    • Regional & Tours
    • Digital
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
  • Edinburgh Fringe 2025
    • Edinburgh Fringe News
    • Edinburgh Fringe Previews
    • Edinburgh Fringe Interviews
  • Contact Us
    • Join us as a Reviewer

© 2022 Theatre Weekly