Video transcript: Woman in Mind at the Duke of York’s Theatre sees Sheridan Smith play a woman who is hit on the head by a rake, and she starts to hallucinate an alternative life.
The alternative life is very different from her real life. In her real life, she has a boring, inattentive husband and a son who doesn’t seem to want much to do with her.
Whereas in her fantasy life, her hallucination, her husband is very attentive, and she has a very good relationship with her daughter.
And Sheridan Smith is quite on edge. Right from the start, you can see that there’s this tension going on, this sort of debate going on between the reality and the fantasy, I suppose, of what life could be, or what she would like it to be.
Romesh Ranganathan plays a doctor, and he is absolutely brilliant. He was the shining light in this. He’s just so completely different to anything I expected.
But the play overall is quite sluggish. It never really seems to get into its stride.
There’s an odd thing with a safety curtain, or it’s part of the set, or at least, I wasn’t sure to start with it.
I think it’s there to represent the two different worlds, the reality and the hallucination, but it is only raised a little way, so the actors have to duck under it.
And I actually thought it was a mistake. I thought, oh, any moment now, a stage manager is going to come out and tell us that that, sorry, there’s been a technical fault, and we need to just sort it out.
But actually, you know, this was the thing and eventually the safety curtain lifts, but it just felt a bit it was just a bit confusing and a bit weird.
So, yeah, it’s an odd play. I’m not sure it really hits its mark, and I’m giving it three stars.
Review: Woman In Mind, Duke of York’s Theatre
Written by Alan Ayckbourn
Directed by Michael Longhurst
Starring Sheridan Smith and Romesh Ranganathan
Running time: 2 hours and 20 minutes, including an interval.
Booking until 28 Feb, then on tour in Sunderland and Glasgow.
Recently reviewed
Our American Queen, Bridewell Theatre booking until 7 February, 2026 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
When We Are Married, Donmar Warehouse ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️booking until 7 February 2026
End, National Theatre ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ booking until 17 January
Othello, Theatre Royal Haymarket ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ booking until 17 January 2026
Join the theatre chat, check out my Sunday Theatre Question on Instagram and Facebook (@RevStan).
Leave a Reply