Sarah
- Oct 12, 2019
- 2 min read

Two Ladies at the Bridge Theatre

A review of the Play - not about me and my friend!

As much as a well-loved theatrical classic is a joy to experience at the theatre, there are times when I want to see something thought provoking and new. Two Ladies seemed to hit the mark perfectly. A new play by Nancy Harris, directed by Nicholas Hynter it tells the story of a behind the scenes encounter between the First Lady of America played by Zrinka Cvitešić and the wife of the President of France played by Zoe Wanamaker.

The Two Ladies

It starts dramatically with the First Lady arriving drenched in blood. She’s ushered into a locked room, where the wife of the French president is already ensconced and having a nip of whiskey. The locked room symbolises the fact that despite living privileged lives in many respects, that they are trapped in a banal existence whilst their husbands deal with political crisis.

Zoe Wannamaker in The Two Ladies

The two actors are at their best when their characters fail to bond despite identifying commonalities in their respective lives. We learn a lot about each one’s back history as they prowl around each other like a pair of tigresses. I liked the fact that these women sought to take back control in a male run world, although their solution felt a little over-wrought.

Both actresses gave stunning performances; there was a palpable chemistry between them, it was impossible to take your eyes off them. The play isn’t perfect, but it’s certainly worth a visit.

The Bridge Theatre is relatively new, with 900 seats it still manages to feel intimate and is extremely comfortable. It’s easy to reach from London Bridge Station.

Smoked salmon and beetroot starter

If you fancied a pre-theatre bite to eat there are lots of options available both within the theatre and nearby. The Ivy Tower Bridge is next door, but booking is advisable as it gets very busy. We opted for The Coal Shed where we were able to walk-in and had their fixed price menu. At £20 for 3 courses this was good value for such a central London location.