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The Year of Magical Thinking

a play by Joan Didion
based on her memoir

'A magnificent solo performance. As moving as anything we are likely to encounter in a theatre this year.' Daily Telegraph

The Year of Magical Thinking, adapted for the stage by Joan Didion from her best-selling memoir of the same name, chronicles the aftermath of her husband’s sudden death.

Grief turns out to be a place none of us know until we reach it. We know that someone close to us could die. We might expect to feel shock. We do not expect this shock to be obliterative, dislocating to both body and mind. We might expect to be prostrate, inconsolable, crazy with loss. We do not expect to be literally crazy – cool customers who believe that their husband is about to return and need his shoes.

Following a sell-out run on Broadway in 2007, Vanessa Redgrave repeats her award-winning solo performance in David Hare’s celebrated production which now receives its UK premiere.

'Redgrave inhabits the very soul of the character and lets you see Didion's honesty, guilt, irony, and capacity for self-examination. A consummate piece of acting.' Guardian

'A stunning performance... reasserts her standing as one of this country's truly great actresses. One of the most powerful performance to be seen on the London stage for some time.' Daily Express

Day Seats
£10, available in person from the Box Office from 9.30am on the day of the performance. 

Now playing.
UK Premiere 

Cast credits:

: Vanessa Redgrave

Production credits:

Director: David Hare

Designer: Bob Crowley

Costume Designer: Ann Roth

Lighting Designer: Jean Kalman

Sound Designer: Paul Arditti

photo (Vanessa Redgrave) by Brigitte Lacombe

The Year of Magical Thinking finished on: 25 October 2008