Beth Steel’s Till the Stars Come Down has made a triumphant leap from the Dorfman at the National Theatre to the Theatre Royal Haymarket, and it loses none of its raw intimacy or emotional punch in the process. This is a production that crackles with authenticity, humour, and heartbreak; a richly textured portrait of a working-class family on the edge of transformation.
Set over the course of a single, sweltering summer day, the play invites us to the wedding of Sylvia (Sinéad Matthews) and Marek (Julian Kostov), a union that promises joy but instead unearths long-buried tensions. As vodka and pints flow and family secrets bubble to the surface, Steel’s script deftly explores the fragility of love, the weight of tradition, and the quiet devastation of unmet expectations.
The brilliance of Till the Stars Come Down lies in its ability to balance the epic with the everyday. Steel’s writing is sharp, funny, and deeply humane; a love letter to the northern voice that never patronises or romanticises. The dialogue fizzes with wit, particularly in the hands of Dorothy Atkinson’s Aunt Carol, who steals every scene with her razor-sharp one-liners and impeccable comic timing. Her performance is a masterclass in character acting: hilarious, grounded, and unexpectedly moving.
The ensemble cast is uniformly excellent, with standout turns from Aisling Loftus as the conflicted Maggie and Lucy Black as the quietly suffering Hazel. There’s a palpable chemistry among the company, making the family dynamics feel lived-in and painfully real. Each character is drawn with care, and every performance contributes to the emotional crescendo that builds throughout the piece.
Bijan Sheibani’s direction is nothing short of masterful. Scenes flow seamlessly into one another, aided by Samal Blak’s beautifully evocative set, which transforms the Haymarket into a bustling, almost immersive wedding venue. With some audience members seated onstage, the production achieves a near ‘in-the-round’ intimacy that draws us into the heart of the action. Paule Constable’s lighting and Gareth Fry’s sound design further enhance the atmosphere, shifting effortlessly between celebration and confrontation.
This is a play that doesn’t just depict a family, it invites us to sit at the table with them, to laugh, cry, and squirm in recognition. It’s a fascinating study of kinship, class, and the quiet revolutions that happen behind closed doors.
Till the Stars Come Down is a triumph of British playwriting and ensemble performance. It’s a wedding you’ll never forget — and a play you’ll never stop thinking about. If you see one show this summer, make it this.
