Small Island (London) London Reviews and Tickets

89%

(32 Reviews)

Positive

100%

Mixed

Negative

Members say

Great acting, Absorbing, Thought-provoking, Great staging, Relevant

About the Show

The National Theatre's dramatic adaptation of Andrea Levy's critically acclaimed novel.

Gilbert dreams of becoming a lawyer, Queenie longs to escape Lincolnshire, and Hortense dreams of a new life away from rural Jamaica.

Following their lives through World War II until their arrival to the UK on the Windrush, their hope for a brighter future is met with the stubborn reality of post-war Britain.

The National Theatre's Artistic Director, Rufus Norris, directs.

Member Reviews (32)

Resonant, Intelligent, Great acting, Absorbing, Ambitious

See it if You like plays based on real events that use theatricality over kitchen sink realism. Learn about a generation through one woman's story.

Don't see it if You prefer lighter fare that doesn't dig too deep into history or social issues. You prefer plays that a short and whimsical.

Masterful, Great writing, Great acting, Relevant, Thought-provoking

See it if beautifully done adaptation of the novel. Moving and compelling. Great acting and staging.

Don't see it if you don't care about long shows.

Absorbing, Great staging, Great writing, Great acting, Epic

See it if great production. Very well told from various perspectives. Absorbing and thought-provoking.

Don't see it if It's almost 3hr 30 min long.

Great writing, Epic, Ambitious, Absorbing

See it if You love a massive long play, that is about the human condition

Don't see it if You hate long plays about racism and acceptance

Fantastic cast!, Important, Powerful, Post war, Compelling

See it if you like history. Still recovering from the war, intertwines lives of characters you route for to triumph over discrimination & adversity.

Don't see it if you’re preference isn’t a historical look at post war cold, dreary London UK

Epic, Great staging, Great acting, Absorbing, Clever

See it if for an extraordinarily well staged version of this wonderful and important story. The arrival of the Windrush ship was impressive.

Don't see it if you do not like long narrative shows.

Relevant, Great writing, Entertaining, Absorbing, Ambitious

See it if You were a fan of the book, you love intricate and absorbing storytelling and you're interested in the Windrush generation

Don't see it if To be honest I can't think of a reason why someone wouldn't like this!

Absorbing, Great acting, Intelligent, Intense, Thought-provoking

See it if Want an insight into the making of modern Britain

Don't see it if you are a racist

Critic Reviews (5)

If Small Island appears to have taken a place in the National Theatre’s pantheon already, it is with good reason. And if it is part of a drive to put bums on seats, no matter: it is without doubt the highest calibre of guaranteed hit shows.
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But while Leemore Marrett Jr and Leonie Elliott deliver winning performances as the Jamaican husband and wife Gilbert and Hortense, there’s not much room for subtlety in this panoramic tale of 1940s immigration.
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The achievement of Helen Edmundson's adaptation and Rufus Norris's sensitive, fluent direction is that of all great art: it makes its points through its characters rather than by imposing arguments on top of them.
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Yet Small Island’s great triumph is to present that history as very much a living thing. The racism Gilbert encounters while working in a post room still stings from across the decades.
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The play’s running time is three hours and five minutes, but it is a testament to the acting, staging, and indeed the script that not one of those minutes hangs heavily.
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Trailer

Creative team