The Wife of Willesden: Zadie Smith.

This is a marvelous little dramatic squib. It is a masterly blend of old and new and manages to strikingly update to a pretty specific time and place without seeming overly contrived.

As a piece of theatre it comes across very effectively  on the page (something not always true of theatre pieces) and the range of parts offered is excellent. There is great dramatic drive and vigour and it captures very well the universality of the Wife’s character. It’s also a fine example of how a piece written for a very specific set of circumstances and location can nevertheless be universal and wholly engaging.