DOUBLE ACT
[By Nick Hyde]
LION AND UNICORN THEATRE
World Premiere 2024, London
I was thrilled to be asked to direct this award-winning debut play by Nick Hyde. It's intelligent and thoughtful, full of tenderness and wit.
A subtle, heart-wrenching exploration of masculinity and mental health, Double Act is a funny and moving battle of wits between one man’s thoughts on his last day alive.
Audiences peer inside the head of the protagonist, who is played by two actors. Classic clown meets urban angst in his unexpected journey from London to the cliffs of Beachy Head, where he plans to end his life.
It’s a beautifully nuanced and brutally honest glimpse into destructive self-talk and the redemptive power of listening.
ABOUT DOUBLE ACT
AUDIENCE REACTION
PHOTO GALLERY
[Charles Flint]
Double Act by Nick Hyde, directed by Jef Hall-Flavin. Photo by Charles Flint
Double Act by Nick Hyde, directed by Jef Hall-Flavin. Photo by Charles Flint
Double Act by Nick Hyde, directed by Jef Hall-Flavin. Photo by Charles Flint
Double Act by Nick Hyde, directed by Jef Hall-Flavin. Photo by Charles Flint
WHAT PEOPLE SAID
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
[WEST END BEST FRIEND]
Hyde and Maynard are a staggering duo onstage. Under Jef Hall-Flavin's direction, they bounce between characters, zippy overlapping dialogue and absurd physical comedy with confident ease. Brilliantly paced and elegantly shaped, with moments of poignancy that cut through the otherwise hilarious dialogue.
This is a powerful debut.
Livvy Perrett
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
[LONDON PUB THEATRES MAGAZINE]
...itʼs the pieceʼs humanity and warmth that carries the evening. And none of that would be possible without the incredibly versatile and nuanced work of the two performers
Jef Hall-Flavinʼs direction is stylish and effective... he seamlessly pulls off the tonal switches between hilarity and tears.
Anna Clart
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
[REVIEWS HUB]
Maynard and Hyde are interchangeably brilliant. ...an effortless physicality that has deep moments of intimacy between the two characters; it is hugely compelling to watch. ...Jef Hall-Flavin's practiced direction has an obvious hand in measuring the pace and tone of each scene.
An important piece, and an essential watch.
Dulcie Godfrey