REVIEW: THE OLD LADIES @ FINBOROUGH THEATRE

🎭 The Old Ladies

📍 Finborough Theatre, 118 Finborough Road, London, SW10 9ED

🗓 Friday 27th March 2026

⭐️ 4 Stars

A CHILLING REVIVAL

Last night I was invited back to the ever-reliable Finborough Theatre and honestly, they've done it again. This place has a real knack for digging up forgotten treasures from the archives and breathing fresh, vibrant life into them. This time it's a 30-year wait that's finally over for a London revival of Rodney Ackland's THE OLD LADIES.

Set in a gloomy, creaky house in a 1930s cathedral city, the play introduces us to three elderly women living in very uneasy proximity. We have the sturdy Lucy Amorest, the frail and nervous May Beringer, and the deeply disconcerting Agatha Payne. What starts as a study of genteel poverty quickly spirals into something much darker.

Now, I'll be honest, it's quite a slow-paced burn. But don't let that put you off. There is an undeniable underlying bleakness to this production that is both eerie and completely compelling. You can literally feel the tension simmering under the surface from the moment the lights go down.

Technically, the production is essentially flawless. How they managed to cleverly depict three separate rooms within the same house on such a tiny, intimate stage was just brilliant. The set design is a marvel. Plus, the lighting and sound are pitched perfectly; they elevate every beat of the story and crank up the tension until you're practically holding your breath.

And the cast are simply incredible. Abigail Thaw is wonderfully unsettling as Agatha Payne. Her psychological abuse of her housemate is chilling to watch. She actually made the audience laugh at points, but you find yourself wondering; are we laughing because she's genuinely funny, or is it that awkward, nervous laughter because she makes us so incredibly uncomfortable?

Catherine Cusack is utterly brilliant as May Beringer. She captures that sense of fragility and desperation incredibly well. Her portrayal of a vulnerable, neurotic woman is painfully believable. Then, stuck in the middle of the two, is Julia Watson as Lucy Amorest. She's the matriarchal heart of the piece, injecting a much-needed dose of warmth and likeability into the gloom.

Having personally lived in a small community with an older population, I felt a real jolt of recognition. I've met these characters in real life - yes, even the unlikeable Agatha Payne - and these actors portrayed them with such total authenticity. It's a haunting, beautifully acted piece of theatre.

THE OLD LADIES continues performances at Finborough Theatre until Sunday 19th April, and is definitely worth seeing. Click here to book your tickets.

Neill Kovacic-Clarke

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one person.

My ticket for this performance of The Old Ladies was gifted by Finborough Theatre who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.

CAST LIST:

Catherine Cusack as May Beringer; Abigail Thaw as Agatha Payne; Julia Watson as Lucy Amorest

RUNNING TIME (approx):

1 hour 25 minutes, with no interval

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Coercive control and bullying; Neurosis; Threats of violence; Vulnerability in old age; Death

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