REVIEW: THE SECRET GARDEN @ THE QUESTORS THEATRE

🎭 The Secret Garden

📍 The Playhouse, The Questors Theatre, 12 Mattock Lane, London, W5 5BQ

🗓 Saturday 28th January 2026

⭐️ 4 Stars

THRICE THE MARY? QUITE CONTRARY!

I've spent plenty of nights at The Questors Theatre in Ealing, but strangely enough, this was my first time catching a production staged by their Youth Theatre (QYT).

Going in, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from a youth production on the main Playhouse stage, but I was immediately struck by the sheer scale and ambition of the piece. This wasn't just a school play scaled up - it was a sophisticated, large-scale piece of theatre that made full use of the venue's professional capabilities and proved these young performers aren't just "the future", they're very much "the now".

The most striking element was Alex Marker's adaptation, specifically the inspired decision to cast three young actors as Mary Lennox. I'll admit, on paper it sounds like it could be a chaotic mess. In practice it was anything but. Eloise Pringle, Advika Nair, and Annabelle Dee shared the stage simultaneously, acting as different sides of Mary's complex, often prickly personality. It gave the audience a fascinating psychological insight into Mary's internal monologue that a single performer might struggle to convey. What could have been a confusing gimmick was handled with incredible discipline. The transitions between the three were seamless, and their physical synchronisation was so tight that you never lost the thread of the character's emotional journey.

The talent didn't stop there, in fact it ran deep. Charlotte Green was pitch-perfect as the formidable Mrs Medlock, carrying a commanding presence whenever she stepped on stage. Noah Christi brought the wonderful earthy, magical energy needed for Dickon, and Cerys Sanford showed impressive range and maturity in her dual roles as Mrs Lennox and Mrs Craven.

I was also genuinely impressed by the vocal work across the board. Getting a room full of London kids to nail a consistent Yorkshire dialect is no mean feat, but they stayed remarkably grounded and absolutely smashed it. It felt authentic without veering into a Hovis advert parody.

The set design was nothing short of ingenious. Using what appeared to be relatively simple wooden frames and versatile props, the production transformed the vast stage into everything from the oppressive, claustrophobic corridors of Misselthwaite Manor, to the sprawling Yorkshire moors. The way the ensemble manipulated these doorframes to create shifting architecture was very clever, proving that you don't need a West End budget to create a sense of scale if you've got a bit of imagination.

However, the production did hit a few speed bumps. The script felt a bit over-extended in places, with a sequence of very short scenes that felt like they could have been edited down to help the evening's flow.

There were also some issues with delivery. A few actors were racing through their lines so quickly that the meaning got blurred, and a bit more projection from some would have helped the dialogue reach the back of the auditorium (where I was sitting) instead of getting lost in the rafters.

Most notably, whenever the full ensemble marched on stage, the sound of shoes on the floorboards was absolutely deafening. It was a literal "theatre of noise" that unfortunately drowned out some of the plot-critical dialogue.

That being said, these are minor gripes in the context of such an impressive feat. To see a youth theatre tackle such a sophisticated, experimental adaptation with such visual flair and confidence is rare. It was a bold, atmospheric evening that proved that the Questors Youth Theatre is a force to be reckoned with. It was ambitious and emotionally resonant and has officially put QYT on my radar.

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 Secret Garden was gifted by The Questors 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:

Eloise Pringle as Mary Lennox 1; Advika Nair as Mary Lennox 2; Annabelle Dee as Mary Lennox 3; Billy Adcock as Ben Weatherall; Noa Eloise Archer as Martha; Thomas Ayres as Mr Pitcher; Marianne Bussey as Mrs Sowerby; Noah Christi as Dickon; Charlotte Green as Mrs Medlock; Sean Keogh-Smith as Archibald Craven; Benjamin-Isaac Obado as Doctor Craven; Dora Ratkovic as Nurse; Cerys Sandford as Mrs Lennox / Mrs Craven; Orton White as Colin

Ensemble: Lottie Brown; Sophie Chen; Amarah Daniel; Matilda Duffield; Bethan Hunter; Kodjo Kaladeen Wallis; Hector Kyratzoglou Gryntakis; Lottie McManus; Edward Milanov; Rufus Peaty; Hannah Plumb; Tigerlily Quinn-Annang; Ben Roddy; Kyla Shaw; Lyra Shipton; Ari Twydell; Alf Warren; Briyanna Wellington-Ross; Klara Wit; Kseniia Yaroshenko

RUNNING TIME (approx):

2 housr 30 minutes, including interval

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