REVIEW: The Summer After Dad Died by Sarah Majland at The Hen and Chickens Theatre 22 – 26 April 2025

‘riveting final scenes’ ★★★ ½ 

The opening scenes are reminiscent of Tennessee Williams’ ‘Cat On a Hot Tin Roof’ with Tina sunbathing on a hot day while her sister and husband shelter from the heat under a patio umbrella. The sisters are awaiting the arrival of their stepsister, and the obvious tension is mounting. All of them share an irritability with each other, further emphasised when the others appear: Tina’s boyfriend and the third sister. 

It is the summer after Dad has died and they are coming together in their old family summer house for a week of vacation. The year is 1985 and the play is set in Denmark, which is in deep financial crisis, another factor which drives the tension felt by the characters. As if this is not enough, there’s also the crying baby, an aural reminder of the resentment between the married couple, as Marianne has the full responsibility of motherhood, whilst her callow husband has womanising on his mind. 

Early in the play, things get a little confused, with the accents used by the actors, and the language used by writer Sarah Majland signalling different things. The accents sound Tennessee Williams (Mississippi) but the play is set in Denmark. The language has echoes of Ibsen (at least that is the right part of the world). Certainly, the writing is rather good and offers a period feel with some phrases having a pleasing rhythm whilst also sounding very natural: ‘It’s heartbreaking is what it is’. 

The play becomes absolutely riveting in the final powerful scenes (reminiscent of the denouement in the afore-mentioned Cat On a Hot Tin Roof). With more than one reveal, the energy is ramped up to explosive levels with all actors giving it all they’ve got.  The five actors (apart from the confusing accents) are exemplary. However, there’s another quibble to flag here, as the drama fails to show us anything we haven’t seen before, the traumas have been explored in theatre many times over and have lost their power to shock. Nothing new is being explored.

It’s a pity because this is a very talented company who deserve a bigger audience, (and a decent stage set to show off their work). Direction from writer Sarah Majland is impressive, somehow managing to make all the scene changes a part of the action which constantly drives the story forward. There’s never a dull moment, with many seamless costume changes from cast. Their attire is one of the attractions of the show and offers excellent period detail thanks to designer Halli Pattison who clearly has a flair for this. 

With previous productions, Tell Me you’ll Think About It, The house We Inherit, A Woman Called Girl and A Woman On Fire, winning the company much acclaim, including award nominations, this is a company with a future. 

The Summer After Dad Died at The Hen and Chickens Theatre 22 – 26 April 2025

Box Office 

Cast and Creatives

Written & Directed by Sarah Majland

Cast:

Marianne: Halli Pattison

Peter: Boyan Petrov

Tina: Milja Marttila

Thomas: Eddie Pop

Anna: Cristina Parracho

Costume design: Halli Pattison

Produced by Quid Pro Quo Theatre