Fathers and Sons – reviews of Donmar's 'outstanding' revival
Friel's soulful adaptation of Turgenev's tale of tension between the generations is deeply satisfying
What you need to know
Brian Friel's stage adaptation Ivan Turgenev's Fathers and Sons has been revived at the Donmar Warehouse, London. Irish playwright Friel is best known for Dancing at Lughnasa and Philadelphia, Here I Come as well as stage adaptations of Checkov.
In Fathers and Sons, a young university graduate, Arkady, returns to his father's country estate with his friend Bazarov, a brilliant and charismatic radical espousing nihilism. Their much-anticipated visit becomes strained when Bazarov attacks the values of his hosts, and reveals the tensions between the generations.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Lyndsay Turner directs a cast starring Seth Numrich, Joshua James and Anthony Calf. Runs until 26 July.
What the critics like
Here Turgenev's novel is "beautifully staged using Brian Friel's tragicomic adaptation", says Kate Bassett in The Times. This story of how life's expected developments don't necessarily happen, how someone's meteoric rise may disappear in a puff of smoke and of how revolutions get sidelined, shifts from savagely funny to deeply moving.
"It is hard to imagine this outstanding production of Fathers and Sons ever being better staged than it is here," says Charles Spencer in the Daily Telegraph. This wonderfully absorbing work brings a large cast of characters to vivid and often comic life, and Friel's play bursts with talk, rows, love and despair.
This story of youth against experience is a "deeply satisfying mix of soulfulness and elegance", says Henry Hitchings in the Evening Standard. James beautifully conveys a blend of youthful idealism and fragile self-awareness and Numrich is exciting as a gifted orator who defies his own principles.
What they don't like
"The transition from page to stage produces lumps and bumps in Friel's adaptation," says Sarah Hemming in the Financial Times. There is some stilted narrative pacing and several undernourished characters (particularly the women), yet the production projects a quiet, subtle humanity.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Quiz of The Week: 16 - 22 November
Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By The Week Staff Published
-
The week's best photos
In Pictures Firing shells, burning ballots, and more
By Anahi Valenzuela, The Week US Published
-
The Great Mughals: a 'treasure trove' of an exhibition
The Week Recommends The V&A's new show is 'spell-binding'
By The Week UK Published
-
The Fear of 13: Adrien Brody is 'mesmerising' in death row drama
The Week Recommends Lindsey Ferrentino's play tackles the real life story of an innocent man who spent two decades behind bars
By Irenie Forshaw, The Week UK Published
-
The Count of Monte Cristo review: 'indecently spectacular' adaptation
The Week Recommends Dumas's classic 19th-century novel is once again given new life in this 'fast-moving' film
By The Week UK Published
-
Death of England: Closing Time review – 'bold, brash reflection on racism'
The Week Recommends The final part of this trilogy deftly explores rising political tensions across the country
By The Week UK Published
-
Sing Sing review: prison drama bursts with 'charm, energy and optimism'
The Week Recommends Colman Domingo plays a real-life prisoner in a performance likely to be an Oscars shoo-in
By The Week UK Published
-
Kaos review: comic retelling of Greek mythology starring Jeff Goldblum
The Week Recommends The new series captures audiences as it 'never takes itself too seriously'
By The Week UK Published
-
Blink Twice review: a 'stylish and savage' black comedy thriller
The Week Recommends Channing Tatum and Naomi Ackie stun in this film on the hedonistic rich directed by Zoë Kravitz
By The Week UK Published
-
Shifters review: 'beautiful' new romantic comedy offers 'bittersweet tenderness'
The Week Recommends The 'inventive, emotionally astute writing' leaves audiences gripped throughout
By The Week UK Published
-
How to do F1: British Grand Prix 2025
The Week Recommends One of the biggest events of the motorsports calendar is back and better than ever
By Rebekah Evans, The Week UK Published