A Passionate Woman at the Lyceum Theatre Sheffield Review
A Passionate Woman
Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield
28 February to 4 March 2017
Reviewed by Rebecca Gillespie
I went along to the Sheffield Lyceum theatre last night and watched a performance called A Passionate Woman. The theatre was well lit outside and had plenty of staff who were all very helpful and polite and cheerful.
The play was an Everyman Theatre Cheltenham production. It was written by Kay Mellor (well known for a lot of successful TV dramas). The story is based on her own mother’s story.
The scenery has two basic acts, one in the loft surrounded by boxes and sloping roof and hatch to go downstairs, the second act the stage revolves and is the outside of the loft on the roof of the house. Simple but effective.
The story is about a mother who reminisces about the past, all because it is the day of her son’s wedding and she’s upset about losing him. The mother is played by Liza Goddard who has a huge list of TV and theatre credits. Anthony Eden plays the son Mark he has numerous theatre credits. The whole of the play contains mainly 4 actors. The mum and dad and son and the lover.
The mother retells the story of how over 30 years previously she had an affair. The lover (dead and can only be seen by the mother) makes many an appearance. It makes for funny moments when the mother is communicating with her son and her lover as the son cannot hear the lover and thinks his mother is going a bit mad.
The son is about to get married and the whole time they are trying to persuade his mother to come out of the loft so he can go to his wedding. Lots of shouting from below the loft hatch.
The second scene, the husband Donald appears, and reveals he knew all about the affair but never said anything. It’s got lots of funny bits with the son dangling on the roof by a rope trying to get his mother inside. Fire brigades arrive with a crane lift – very well executed on a small stage as you only see lights and the top of the basket crane. There is also a hot air balloon on stage at the same time again very good stage design as very effective.
The whole play has funny parts and serious bits but all very light-hearted. The acting is amazing and you get lost in the moments and in the scenes. A great play, only disappointing thing was it wasn’t very long at 1hr 35mins (including interval) but probably a good sign as didn’t want it to end. If you get chance, go see it.
Rating: 5/5 
Tickets cost from £14 to £29 (booking fees may apply).
A Passionate Woman is at the Lyceum Theatre in Sheffield until 4 March 2017. For more information or to book tickets click here or call the box office on 0114 249 6000.
Lyceum Theatre, Norfolk St, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, S1 1DA | 0114 249 6000
