The Line of Beauty review transcript:
The Line of Beauty at the Almeida Theatre is a play that presents a slice of someone’s life over three years.
It’s set in the 80s. It’s about a young gay man who ends up living with the very posh family of his friend from university.
And it’s an examination of class, of the politics of the time – the father is an MP – and the gay culture, and the growing AIDS epidemic.
And I’m in a bit of a dilemma about it because I enjoyed watching it, I really did, but at the end of it, while it is interesting, the style of it, I felt, lacked an emotional connection that I wanted.
I didn’t feel like I knew the central character any better by the end of it, and there wasn’t that emotional connection.
There are plenty of AIDS-focused plays out there that are heart-wrenching, and this isn’t that.
And so while I enjoyed it, I just felt it lacked a little bit of connection. I felt like I was sort of watching through a window something going on, and then just moving off and sort of almost forgetting about it, really.
So it’s a weird one, because I did enjoy it at the time, but anyway, I’d be interested to know what other people thought.
The Line of Beauty, Almeida Theatre
Adapted from Alan Hollinghurst’s novel by Jack Holden
Directed by Michael Grandage
Starring Jasper Talbot
Running time 2 and half hours including an interval
Booking until 29 November 2025, for more information and to buy tickets, visit the Almeida Theatre website
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