Albert's Boy

Finborough Theatre
19 July - 13 August 2005
A co-production with Concordance

Albert's Boy

By James Graham

Starring Tony Award Winner Victor Spinetti and Gerard Monaco.

Winner:	Pearson Playwright Award
Pick of the Week:	The Stage, Aleks Sierz Rogues & Vagabonds,
	Newsline
Four Stars:	What's On

Sound Bites

“Fringe theatre at its best.”
“Albert's Boy offers Victor Spinetti the chance to give a masterclass, ably supported by Gerard Monaco.”
“Acting that radiates warmth.”
“Its debate is clear and the conflict between the two men is lucidly realised.”

-Aleks Sierz, The Stage

“Extraordinary.”
“Gerard Monaco plays the reserved but disturbed Bucky with Quiet dignity.”
“Victor Spinetti is outstanding... moving and funny.”
“Thought provoking... given the current war on terrorism.”

-Cheryl Freedman, What’s On in London

“A beautifully crafted piece.”
“The play cleverly juxtaposes the general and the individual throughout.”
“Victor Spinetti is brilliant as Einstein... He captures the old man's vulnerability, while carrying the intellectual weight inside, with the wit and gentleness of the character.”
“An excellent performance.”
“Designer Alex Marker has made interesting and beautifully detailed use of the space, which I am sure he will adapt ingeniously if this wonderful production gets the transfer it deserves.”

-Joanna Bacon, Rogues and Vagabonds

“A climactic evocation of the bomb.”
“Set in 1953, it’s an old-fashioned two-hander, with Spinetti magnificent as a lonely, ageing Albert Einstein, struggling, and failing, to develop a unified theory that will explain the physics of the universe and somehow assuage his guilt for having developed the ideas that led to the atomic bomb. Spinetti is fortunate in his debating partner, the young actor Gerard Monaco.”
“What is moving is to see a young actor and an old actor working together to show that neither youth nor age can escape the damage done by modern conflict.”

-Robert Hewison, The Sunday Times

“Victor Spinetti is particularly affecting.”
“James Graham, another Royal Court young writer making his mark at the Finborough, belies his 22 years. There is a precocity in his talent, but through the delicate employment of understatement he never drifts into the pretentious or patronizing zones.”

-Benjamin Davis, Time Out

“Victor Spinettie is luminously sypathetic as Einstein.”
“The actors are excellent.”
“Two top-drawer performances.”

-Brian Logan, The Guardian

“Bold.”
“Compelling — affable, agonised, raging, and despairing by turns.”

-Sam Marlowe, The Times

“James Graham writes good dialogue and builds several scenes to a pointed climax.”
“Incredibly skilful and moving.”

-Timothy Ramsden, Reviews Gate

Enter your details to receive free ticket offers and info on upcoming shows.

The Lesson by Eugène Ionesco

Stiri.Acasa.ro

edfringe.com

Curierul National

Realitatea.net

The Trials of Galileo by Nic Young

Fringe Review
Wandsworth
Edfringe.com
Three Weeks
Remotegoat
Public Reviews
Fringe Guru
Broadway Baby
ViewfromtheGods
British Theatre Guide

The Lesson Eugène Ionesco

or better
in 15 of 17 reviews

Out of all productions with a star rating in the last 3 years:

or better
in 36 of 45 reviews

The Lesson Eugène Ionesco

"Max Lewendel's production succeeds by the strength of its acting and the steadily increasing tension."

Jeremy Kingston, The Times

The Lesson Eugène Ionesco

"Directed so specifically that the beast of chaos that charges through Ionesco's work like his own rhinoceros is safely routed through the play."

Rebecca Banks, Ham & High

The Lesson Eugène Ionesco

"A daring production by an energetic new company, the London-based Icarus Theatre Collective, it pulls no punches in its visceral pursuit of pure absurdism."

Daniel Lombard,
South Wales Argus

The Lesson Eugène Ionesco

Premiul special al juriului
Special Jury Prize:
Cash prize from Romania

The Lesson Eugène Ionesco

Premiul pentru cea mai buna actrita ín rol principal
Best Actress in a Leading
Role: Amy Loughton

Coyote Ugly by Lynn Siefert

"Scarlet, a wild 12-year-old, like a coyote bitch on heat".

John Thaxter, What's On

Macbeth
by William Shakespeare

Remotegoat

Carrick Biz

Stage, Screen, & the Mystique

Three Weeks

Journey's End
by R.C. Sherriff

The Times

The Scotsman

Manchester Eve News

Macbeth
by William Shakespeare

With sword, axe, spear and bare fist fighting it is an impressively energetic and dynamic production.

Victoria Claringbold, Remotegoat

The Trials of Galileo
by Nic Young

Icarus Theatre fly into London on waxen wings, which, after this compelling production, show no sign of melting any time soon.

Edwin Reis, Remotegoat

Spring Awakening
by Frank Wedekind

Nigh-on Faultless. The cast are, one and all, magnificent.

Roderic Dunnett, Behind the Arras

Macbeth
by William Shakespeare

"Max Lewendel's production is fast-paced and pulls the audience straight in... Outstanding".

Von Magdalena Marek, Newsline

Macbeth
by William Shakespeare

"Particularly haunting is the piece because of the use of music and sounds, designed by Theo Holloway. The effect is outstanding".

Von Magdalena Marek, Newsline

Macbeth
by William Shakespeare

"Max Lewendel's production is fast-paced and pulls the audience straight in... Outstanding".

Von Magdalena Marek, Newsline

Macbeth
by William Shakespeare

"The play explodes into action with a high-powered fight sequence using real swords, axes and spears that superbly captured the intensity of battle".

Robin Strapp, British Theatre Guide

Journey's End
by R.C. Sherriff

"A powerfully emotive production."

Julie Watterston, The Stage

Albert's Boy
by James Graham

"Theatre at its best."

Aleks Sierz, The Stage

Coyote Ugly by Lynn Siefert

"The five-member cast fill the dim confines of the theatre like a desert storm".

Le Roux Schoeman,
Church of England Newsletter

Coyote Ugly by Lynn Siefert

"This sexy, steamy drama really hits home, especially after delivering the scorpion sting in its tail".

Philip Fisher,
British Theatre Guide

The Lesson Eugène Ionesco

"Comedy, tragedy, fear, mystery, sex, violence, disturbance: The Lesson has them all".

Eleanor Weber,
Raddest Right Now

The Lesson Eugène Ionesco

"It is impossible not to enjoy Icarus Theatre Collective’s production of Ionesco’s one-act play".

The Stage

Coyote Ugly by Lynn Siefert

"The cast navigates the perilous emotional terrain with aplomb".

Visit London (Totally London)

Coyote Ugly by Lynn Siefert

"Sizzling bursts of desire and hate among the North American sands".

Timothy Ramsden,
Reviews Gate

Albert's Boy
by James Graham

"Extraordinary...
Victor Spinetti is outstanding."

Cheryl Freedman,
What's On in London

Albert's Boy
by James Graham

"A beautifully crafted piece."

Joanna Bacon,
Rogues & Vagabonds

The Lesson Eugène Ionesco

"The Icarus Theatre collective's production of Eugène Ionesco's absurdist masterpiece is brilliant. A fast-paced, sixty-five minute screaming journey from a bare classroom into utter chaos."

Kevin Hurst, Extra! Extra!

Many Roads to Paradise
by Stewart Permutt

"You would pay a lot of money in the West End for a class act like this, so why not pop along to the Finborough and find out what great nights are made of."

Gene David Kirk,
UK Theatre Web

The Time of Your Life
William Saroyan