Interview

Interview

A captivating blend of realism, power, and wit.
Utterly gripping

The first thing that strikes you is the set, and what a set it is. Derek McLane has created a phenomenal space that feels like a genuine loft conversion. It’s open-plan, with sofas in the middle, a kitchen to one side, and even a working bath to the other. The back wall gleams in crisp white brickwork, while the sides contrast with a warmer redbrick. Steel buttresses line the roof, giving it an authentic industrial chic. Every detail is so carefully curated that the illusion is complete: you feel you could move in tomorrow.

This realism is cleverly offset by the bold, modern use of video projection. Idontloveyouanymore’s design electrifies the stage, filling the rear wall with split screens, sectional divides, waveforms, and live feeds. At first, I worried that projecting onto textured brick might obscure the information, but it soon became clear that the projections aren’t meant to be read in detail. They’re there to create mood and impression, a digital counterpart to the physical world of the loft. Some live video appeared to be screen-cast from phones the actors used on stage, later replaced by a more traditional rig. Animated overlays then layered in, complex and dynamic, adding a visual richness that elevated the entire performance.

The play itself is far from superficial. What I feared would have been a cringe-inducing clash of internet slang and generational stereotypes turns out to be sharp, witty, and uncomfortably real. The characters are written with nuance, their relationship unfolding through contempt, flirtation, vulnerability, and manipulation.

Robert Sean Leonard is excellent as Pierre, a political journalist reluctantly tasked with conducting what he believes will be a puff-piece interview. Opposite him, Paten Hughes is equally captivating as Katya, a social media and film star navigating the shifting realities of fame. Neither character is fully honest with the other, or perhaps with themselves and this duplicity fuels a compelling power-play.

The chemistry between Leonard and Hughes fills the stage with ease, no small feat in such a large space. Hughes has a particularly memorable sequence in which she demonstrates a variety of different ways of crying. It’s played for laughs, but performed with such skill that, in another context, it could have been devastating. The timing, physicality, and delivery from both performers never falter. Even now, I’m still chuckling at the impeachment joke.

At its heart, this is a play about words, power, and morality. Two characters push against one another, unbound by the usual social restraints, testing limits and peeling back layers. At times, it edges into psychological thriller territory, with themes of trauma bonding simmering beneath the banter and repartee.

By the end, I felt frustrated with both characters’ choices, not the writing. Their decisions sparked debate, and the moral ambiguity led to conversations long after the curtain fell. Who was right? Who was wrong? Was anyone? This is a production best seen with friends who enjoy a spirited post-show discussion over drinks.

Some stage productions make me curious to hunt down the film version. Not this one. Though there is a 2003 adaptation, I have no desire to look it up. This staging felt definitive a piece of theatre close to perfection.

Photo Credit Helen Murray