{"id":2232,"date":"2016-08-23T01:40:31","date_gmt":"2016-08-23T00:40:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.samyatesdirector.com\/?page_id=2232"},"modified":"2025-10-26T16:10:18","modified_gmt":"2025-10-26T16:10:18","slug":"press","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.samyatesdirector.com\/?page_id=2232","title":{"rendered":"PRESS"},"content":{"rendered":"

REVIEWS<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n

VANYA (Off Broadway, New York)<\/span><\/h1>\n

JESSE GREEN THE NEW YORK TIMES CRITICS’ PICK<\/a> <\/span>“This Vanya is a reset. As strange as it is in conception, in performance it is the best I have seen. Collecting Ivan and Helena and Michael and Sonia and the rest in one body, and filtering their emotions through one sensibility, does something odd: It makes of the characters an Uber-character, with the widest possible range of human feeling, experience, intelligence and foolishness. You may feel, as I did, that in meeting that crowded congregation through Scott, you have finally met Chekhov himself.”<\/span><\/p>\n

HELEN SHAW THE NEW YORKER<\/a><\/span> “A tour-de-force… Scott\u2019s musicality is so precise that I cannot describe it without thinking of a singer\u2019s phrasing, or of a violinist\u2019s bowing. He controls not only vocal timbre but also other subharmonics, creating an incredible tension in the room… A Gestalt therapist would tell us that in our dreams all the figures are really aspects of ourselves. This \u201cVanya\u201d is that kind of dream, and so we see Scott, playing a brief duet with no one, in mourning for his sister\u2019s life and his own\u2014and, really, every life there is.”<\/span><\/p>\n

SARAH HOLDREN NEW YORK MAGAZINE <\/u><\/a>“What makes this Vanya<\/em> sing is that we don\u2019t simply witness Scott\u2019s virtuosity but, through him and through Stephens\u2019s cleverly spare adaptation, Chekhov\u2019s… An intimate and sincere actor\u2019s laboratory, a chance to turn one of Chekhov\u2019s rangy, yearning ensembles into a kind of revelatory Russian doll… to thrilling effect.”<\/span><\/p>\n

DEB MILLER DC THEATRE ARTS<\/a><\/span> “Combining sardonic comedy and affecting tragedy, the play, in keeping with the inherent intent of Chekhov, offers a reflection on disillusionment, regret, unrequited love, and the search for the purpose of life, as the actor flawlessly delivers a full range of human emotions and psychological insights in a tour-de-force performance… It\u2019s all rendered with faultless precision, razor-sharp laughs, and spot-on understanding of Chekhov\u2019s original.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 ADAM FELDMAN TIME OUT NEW YORK<\/a><\/span> “It’s a generous performance, with a humanity that feels true to what draws us to Chekhov in the first place. A show like Vanya telescopes the empathy at the core of theater\u2019s appeal: how audience members can see themselves in many different people, and how actors can find many people in themselves.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 MELISSA ROSE BERNARDO NEW YORK STAGE REVIEW<\/a><\/span> Olivier Award winner Scott takes great care to assign a distinct voice and defining mannerisms to each role… All it takes for Scott to slip in and out of each character is a turn, or a walk behind a door. He\u2019s a marvel… Truthfully, there\u2019s no Chekhov play that feels more New York.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 MICHAEL SOMMERS NEW YORK STAGE REVIEW<\/a><\/span> “The playwright, director Sam Yates, and scenic designer Rosanna Vize are credited along with the actor as co-creators of the production. Their fine contributions, plus James Farncombe\u2019s shadowy and strategic lighting design, provide for a seamless staging that showcases Scott\u2019s virtuosity.”<\/span><\/p>\n

GILLIAN RUSSO NEW YORK THEATRE GUIDE<\/a><\/span> “Andrew Scott captivates in solo Chekhov adaptation… Simon Stephen’s adaptation plays up every possible bit of comedy in Vanya \u2014 an approach that could make the play hokey in the hands of a less skilled actor \u2014 but as the show progresses, the laughs get sparser and more hesitant as the characters reach their breaking points and, perhaps, so does the performer. By the time Scott, as Ivan’s innocent niece Sonia, delivers the pensive final monologue, it’s as if he’s actually stripped all nine characters away and is simply thinking out loud to us.”<\/span><\/p>\n

JONATHAN MANDELL NEW YORK THEATRE<\/span> “Riveting.”<\/span><\/p>\n

TOWARDS ZERO (mini-series)<\/span><\/h1>\n

THE TIMES<\/span><\/a> “The best BBC Christie in years.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE DAILY MAIL<\/span><\/a> “A superlative adaptation of one of Christie’s overlooked masterpieces.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 HEAT MAGAZINE<\/span> “This is a lavish whodunnit, brimming with lies, deceit and passion.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 MAIL ON SUNDAY<\/span> “This sparkling whodunnit is to die for… absolutely delicious TV.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 TV TIMES<\/span> “A sumptuous, star-studded three-part thriller… a perfect whodunnit.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 EVENING STANDARD<\/span><\/a> “Hardboiled Agatha Christie is a winner. Anjeclia Huston leads a stand-out casting in this nourish adaptation of the classic novel.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE I<\/a> <\/span>“Finally, an Agatha Christie adaptation that gets it right.”<\/span><\/p>\n

MAGPIE (feature debut)<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n

THE GUARDIAN 4****<\/a><\/span> “Daisy Ridley shines in tense, compelling portrait of a toxic relationship… brutally compelling”.<\/span>
\n
\nTHE NEW YORK TIMES<\/span><\/a> “Ridley’s performance is so magnetic \u2014 and Latif’s so convincingly despicable \u2014 that the ending might just make you stand up and cheer.”<\/span><\/p>\n

VARIETY<\/a><\/span> “Has a kicky crowd-pleasing resonance… builds toward a climax that\u2019s disarmingly satisfying. It\u2019s one of those \u201cUsual Suspects\u201d\/ \u201dSaltburn\u201d twists.”<\/span><\/p>\n

SCREEN DAILY<\/a><\/span> “This tension piece is a visually adventurous film, relying on fractal images and direct addresses to translate the angst that builds from one woman\u2019s anger at her vain, philanderous partner… An assured, gratifyingly cheeky debut by Yates… expect it to cause a wave”<\/span><\/p>\n

INDIE WIRE<\/a><\/span> “Daisy Ridley Revolts in a Tight, Twisty Battle of the Sexes… Yates acquits himself admirably with a limited, steely color palette, tight editing, and an emphasis on the actors. “<\/span><\/p>\n

COLLIDER 8\/10<\/span><\/a> “Magpie is one of those rare films that feels both fresh and alive while building off classic genre works of the past..This Daisy Ridley at her best.”<\/span><\/p>\n

SCREEN RANT<\/a><\/span> “Despite this being his first film, Yates handles Magpie with a genuine master’s touch, crafting a rollercoaster of emotions and complex character dynamics, all within a svelte 90 minutes.”<\/span><\/p>\n

ROGER EBERT<\/a><\/span> “”Magpie” is a marital thriller with noir trappings galore, including an almost ridiculously convoluted (yet satisfying) conclusion. Still, it’s most effective as the study of an angry wife’s chaotic psychological state.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

VANYA by Simon Stephens (after Anton Chekhov) (Duke of Yorks)<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE FINANCIAL TIMES<\/span><\/a> “This is a beautiful, heartbreaking response to Chekhov\u2019s tragicomedy, which drills into its essence and marvels afresh at the playwright\u2019s ability to craft characters that feel so recognisable… Tremendous.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 EVENING STANDARD<\/a><\/span> “This one-man Vanya is a revelation and a sensation.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 WHAT’S ON STAGE<\/a><\/span> “Wow. This astonishing version of Chekhov\u2019s Uncle Vanya is a tour-de-force by the actor Andrew Scott.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 TIME OUT<\/span><\/a> “It is a truly remarkable stage performance, that seems to go beyond acting and on to something like a shamanic act of empathy.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE i NEWSPAPER<\/a><\/span> “Andrew Scott\u2019s one-man Chekhov is the performance of the year.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 BROADWAY WORLD <\/span><\/a>“Extraordinary…an exceptionally eclectic and relentlessly engaging piece of theatre.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 REVIEWS HUB<\/a><\/span> “Powerful and brave, Vanya is a meditation on existence itself.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 LONDON THEATRE<\/span><\/a> “You won\u2019t find a more remarkable actor doing a more remarkable piece of theatre anywhere in the West End.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 MEDIUM<\/span><\/a> “The best performance I\u2019ve seen all year. The adaptation is one of the best and clearest versions of Vanya I\u2019ve seen. It\u2019s heartbreakingly sad at times, then sharply witty.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE OBSERVER<\/span><\/a> “Tremendous… What goes on is fiercer than traditional Chekhov… This cooperation \u2013 a true theatricality \u2013 has something of Chekhov\u2019s antiheroic generosity.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 SUNDAY TIMES<\/span><\/a> “Astonishing… A Chekhov gem to watch in awe… Vanya is remarkable, deluxe craftsmanship credited to four masterful creators.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH<\/a><\/span> “Mesmerising. An emotionally charged piece of event theatre.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE INDEPENDENT<\/a><\/span> “Funny, sexy and surprisingly emotional.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE STAGE<\/a> <\/span>“This is theatre that gets under the skin: remarkable.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

THE TWO CHARACTER PLAY by Tennessee Williams (Hampstead)<\/strong><\/span><\/h1>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 MARK SHENTON, SHENTON STAGE<\/span><\/a> “I was gripped, riveted and moved… surprised and enthralled.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THEATRE-NEWS<\/span>\u00a0“A superb rebirth… true theatrical art.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 EVENING STANDARD<\/span><\/a> “Mould-breaking power restored to Tennessee Williams\u2019 most daring play.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE INDEPENDENT<\/span><\/a> “A strange, profound delight.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 FINANCIAL TIMES<\/span><\/a> “O’Flynn and Varla are excellent… volatile and painfully vulnerable… powerful.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 MATT WOLF, THEATRE LONDON<\/span><\/a> “Immensely daring.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE ARTS DESK<\/span><\/a> “Tender, poetic and piercingly cruel. A timely return for Tennessee Williams’ long-neglected play.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 DAILY EXPRESS<\/span> “Funny, sad, horrific, and unbearably poignant… A real discovery.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u00a0EXEUNT MAGAZINE<\/span> “Profound… haunting… utterly contemporary.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE SPY IN THE STALLS<\/span> “Always mesmerising, totally memorable. A masterpiece of theatre.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 CITY AM<\/span> “Genuinely powerful.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE UPCOMING<\/span> “Enthralling… a memorable experience.”<\/span><\/p>\n

A SEPARATE PEACE by Tom Stoppard (Zoom)<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE GUARDIAN | Mark Lawson<\/a><\/span> “If, for however long, this is live theatre\u2019s future, then it works triumphantly.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 BRITISH THEATRE | Mark Ludmon<\/a> “A Separate Peace marks the start of what promises to be an exciting series of online productions for our age of isolation.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE UPCOMING | LAURA BOYLE<\/a><\/span> “A Separate Peace<\/i>, the proceeds of which support The Felix Project and Apples & Oranges, is brilliantly executed and deeply relevant. The reading is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u00a0THE STAGE | Tim Bano<\/span> “Sam Yates<\/em>‘ Zoom production opens up some really exciting avenues for using the structures and strictures of technology.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

INCANTATA adapted from poem by Paul Muldoon (Galway, Gate, Dublin, Irish Rep, New York)<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

NEW YORK TIMES<\/span>\u00a0Critic’s Pick<\/a><\/span><\/span> “Spellbinding… unique and beautiful… it has a peculiar charm, a touch of magic.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE GUARDIAN | Helen Meany<\/span> “Stanley Townsend brings the poet\u2019s searing love poetry to life in a visually stunning show boasting some Beckettian touches.”<\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE IRISH TIMES | Peter Crawley<\/a><\/span> “Here, then, in all its display and transformations, is grief as an artform.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 IRISH EXAMINER | Padraic Killeen<\/a><\/span> “What makes this a remarkable piece of theatre, however, is director Sam Yates\u2019s frenzied use of sound and vision to complement, and foil, Muldoon\u2019s raw and riveting lament. It all makes for a brilliantly unstable experience, the play teetering between order and disorder, as Townsend\u2019s wild cacophony of memory fragments struggles to extract from life some sense of a redemptive unity.”<\/span><\/p>\n

THE SUNDAY INDEPENDENT | Emer O’Kelly<\/span><\/a> “The performance is a monumental collaboration so perfect (glowingly directed by Sam Yates, designed by Rosanna Vize with Teho Teardo’s music, Jack Phelan’s video and lit by Paul Keogan with Sinead Diskin’s sound), that the poem’s kaleidoscopic images do more than freeze themselves individually into the mind… Galway International Arts Festival (GIAF) seems to have a genius in its choice of co-production. In this case, it’s Jen Coppinger and Poetry Ireland. And, of course, the electrifying Stanley Townsend.”<\/span><\/p>\n

RT\u00c9 ARENA on Incantata<\/span> “Amazing performance. Amazing visuals. Beautiful. Highly recommended.”<\/span><\/p>\n

GALWAY CITY TRIBUNE on Incantata<\/span> “A dizzying journey through grief and loss…the dream production team.”<\/span><\/p>\n

THE NEW YORK TIMES | Scott Heller<\/span> ‘That festival, and the Galway theater scene in general, has been a major launching pad for such playwrights as Martin McDonagh (\u201cThe Beauty Queen of Leenane\u201d) and Enda Walsh (\u201cMisterman,\u201d \u201cOnce\u201d)… Another festival highlight: a video-ornamented stage adaptation of the Pulitzer-winning poet Paul Muldoon\u2019s \u201cIncantata.\u201d It wouldn\u2019t surprise me if you\u2019ll hear more about all three plays, as Irish work has been regularly presented on the London and New York stages, at St. Ann\u2019s Warehouse, the Brooklyn Academy of Music and the Irish Arts Center.”<\/span><\/p>\n

THE IRISH TIMES | Deirdre Falvey<\/span><\/a>\u00a0Festival roundup<\/em> “One of the prides of this year\u2019s festival…a glorious burst of poetic intensity in Stanley Townsend\u2019s magnificent grief- and rage-laden performance in Paul Muldoon\u2019s Incantata produced with Jen Coppinger.”<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

THE PHLEBOTOMIST by Ella Road (Hampstead Theatre, Downstairs and Main House)<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE TELEGRAPH<\/span><\/a> “Sam Yates\u2019s gripping production.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE FINANCIAL TIMES<\/span> “A smart and unsettling play.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE OBSERVER<\/span> “Jade Anouka brings gleaming geniality.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE METRO<\/span> “Superbly wrought… very now.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 SUNDAY EXPRESS<\/span> “An elegant, excellently actress production.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u00a0BRITISH THEATRE<\/span><\/a> “The Phlebotomist has opened upstairs at Hampstead Theatre<\/a> after a successful run in its downstairs space last year, earning it a nomination in this year\u2019s Olivier Awards.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE GUARDIAN | Lyn Gardner<\/a><\/span> “A gasp-worthy dystopian thriller… It comes very neatly packaged in a production by Sam Yates that elicits terrific performances, particularly from Anouka as a woman who wants a sure return on her emotional investments, but discovers real love is unconditional.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE EVENING STANDARD | Henry Hitchins<\/a><\/span> “Sam Yates\u2019s lean production uses video to establish the play\u2019s futuristic context, and the action takes place on a long traverse stage, which means the characters seem like lab specimens chosen for the audience\u2019s anxious scrutiny.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 WHAT’S ON STAGE | Daisy Bowie-Sell<\/a><\/span> “Sam Yates’ direction is sharp-eyed and he deals with the many changes in scene very well, letting the set become a messy space filled with props and costume detritus…The characters are nicely drawn and the whole cast is strong, particularly Anouka and Cherrelle Skeete as Char, who have a brilliantly warm and real friendship.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE STAGE | Briget Minamore<\/span><\/a> “Vincent Ebrahim\u2019s zen, wise David and Cherrelle Skeete\u2019s career-driven, fearful then hopeful Char\u2014both shine.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE UPCOMING | Daniel Amir<\/a><\/span> “Director Sam Yates has not only managed the feat of eliciting these well-rounded performances, but of making room economically for beautiful theatrical images and allowing the set to expand and contract between the private and public.”<\/span><\/p>\n

GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS by David Mamet (Playhouse Theatre, West End, and No.1 UK Tour)<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE METRO | John Nathan<\/a> “Slater, as the slickest operator Ricky Roma, delivers a superbly judged performance of measured aggression.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 BRITISH THEATRE | Mark Ludmon<\/a> “In this brilliant revival directed by Sam Yates, the play builds up slowly into a taut and gripping display of cunning and deceit as four salesmen are swept along in what is for them a matter of life and death.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE GUARDIAN | Michael Billington<\/a> “This latest revival has a tip-top cast headed by Christian Slater… The joy of the play lies in its language, which ricochets off the walls like a ball in a squash court and which is roundly relished in Sam Yates\u2019s production.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE OBSERVER | Susan Sheahan<\/a> “A spectacular interrogation of self-deception and greed in a world of merciless capitalism.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE TIMES | Ann Treneman<\/span> “Christian Slater… is brilliant, dominating the stage as he does the office.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 EVENING STANDARD | Henry Hitchins<\/a><\/span> “A vision of toxic masculinity, heartless greed and the way both these things seem to flourish in the marketplace.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE FINANCIAL TIMES | Ian Shuttleworth<\/span><\/a>\u00a0“Yates tackles the playwright\u2019s famously blistering dialogue as if it were music…finely polished production…packed with superb moments.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 TIME OUT | Andrzej Lukowski<\/a><\/span> “A startlingly short, painfully sharp, excavation of the desperation that lies under the alpha male ego.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE i NEWSPAPER | Holly Williams<\/span> “Christian Slater is simply superb.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE ARTS DESK | Aleks Sierz<\/span><\/a> “A masterclass in testosterone-fuelled acting…Sam Yates\u2019s well-focused production, designed by Chiara Stephenson, orchestrates the music of the text… And Yates fields a cast of heavy-hitters.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE DAILY EXPRESS | Neil Norman<\/span><\/a> “A short, sharp, savagely entertaining night… Director Sam Yates reins in the play\u2019s paranoia which makes it even more effective, as if the characters are deluding themselves as much as their targets.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 MAIL ON SUNDAY | Robert Gore-Langton<\/span><\/a> “The lean, macho dialogue is so sharp you could shave with it. But the great thing about Sam Yates\u2019s revival is just how funny it is. You feel the glee of the salesmen\u2019s old war stories.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE DAILY MAIL | Quentin Letts<\/a><\/span> “Has the American dream ever been sketched so clearly as a recipe for gastric acid attacks?… Sam Yates, the director, has assembled a top cast. The salesmen are slick Ricky (Christian Slater), forlorn George (Don Warrington), failing Levene (Stanley Townsend) and embittered Moss (Robert Glenister). Every actor a winner.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 RADIO TIMES | Kasia Delgado<\/a><\/span> “This production is a mesmerising dissection of how warped masculinity can reap carnage.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 CITY AM | Steve Dinneen<\/span> “Frequently hilarious…It is a joy to see Mamet’s words brought to life with such verve.”<\/span><\/p>\n

HUFFINGTON POST | David Finkle<\/a><\/span> “This outing, directed with clicking authority by Sam Yates, is a doozy…The most distressed is Shelly Levene (Stanley Townsend, in an award-teasing performance). The other end-of-tether salesmen are expertly played by Kris Marshall, Robert Glenister and Don Warrington.”<\/span><\/p>\n

THE SPECTATOR | Lloyd Evans<\/a><\/span> “(Christian Slater and Stanley Townsend) really are like two great musicians reaching the highest pitch of their art and loving every minute of it. The effect is extraordinary. Everything in life, the show seems to suggest, is a ridiculous artifice: the patter of salesmen, the storyline of the play, the stage itself, the whole of drama. All the sliding doors of concealment and illusion are laid bare for our delighted perusal and yet the show never releases its grip on the bitter truths of its storyline.”<\/span><\/p>\n

CYMBELINE by William Shakespeare (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, Globe Theatre)<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

One To Watch<\/em> | THE INDEPENDENT | Emily Barber<\/a> “Sam Yates’s sophisticated production… takes beautifully simple and fully-felt advantage of the venue’s candle-lit intimacy.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Critics’ Choice<\/em> |\u00a0THE DAILY TELEGRAPH | Best plays now on<\/a> “Director Sam Yates embraces the fairytale aspects of the drama with an enthusiasm kept in check by excellently clear verse-speaking and moments of piercing emotional clarity.”<\/span><\/p>\n

THE NEW YORK TIMES | Matt Wolf<\/span><\/a> “One would be hard-pressed to come across a more delightful reckoning of this particular text than can now be found at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse…Mr. Yates\u2019s cast brings together a welcome mixture of ethnicities and accents, as seems appropriate to a story that traverses multiple locales, while keeping at least one foot grounded in the otherworldly realm of the fairy tale.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH | Jane Shilling<\/a><\/span>\u00a0“Sam Yates\u2019s engaging production gets its priorities right: the verse is spoken with precision; the virtues (and faults) of the text are honestly acknowledged. And the audience responded with warmth.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE FINANCIAL TIMES | Sarah Hemming<\/a><\/span>\u00a0“Sam Yates\u2019s spry, immensely engaging production… Pauline McLynn is a joy as the queen … Emily Barber\u2019s posh, brave and funny Innogen is wonderful.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE INDEPENDENT | Paul Taylor<\/span><\/a>\u00a0“Sam Yates’s production rises to the drama’s complicated occasion in a production that takes beautifully simple and fully-felt advantage of the venue’s gilded, candle-lit intimacy…\u00a0An exceptionally skilful and engaging cast expedite Yates’s poetically supple and humane vision of the piece.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 EVENING STANDARD | Henry Hitchins<\/span><\/a> “Director Sam Yates works hard to make this mishmash of tragedy, comedy, history and romance appear coherent. The result is a clear, engaging production that relishes the play…\u00a0as Innogen newcomer Emily Barber projects just the right mix of innocence, vigour and humour.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 WHAT’S ON STAGE | Dasiy Bowie-Sell<\/a><\/span>\u00a0“It’s one of the highlights of a production that is full of surprises.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE STAGE | Gerald Berkowitz<\/a><\/span>\u00a0“Sam Yates’ fast-moving and never flagging production. Emily Barber plays as strong and assertive, equally passionate in love, anger and grief.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u00a0THEATRE CAT | Libby Purves<\/a>\u00a0(BBC Radio 4)<\/span>\u00a0“Yates\u2019 cast permit us (amid the moving embraces) to shake with gales of laughter. That\u2019s the way to do it\u2026 Emily Barber as Innogen: graduated only last year and a real find.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 MY THEATRE MATES | Jonathan Baz<\/a><\/span>\u00a0“Barber\u2019s performance is a high point, offering a lively representation of youth, love and beauty of heart\u2026 well worth seeing.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE TIMES | Kate Bassett<\/span>\u00a0“Sam Yates’ staging becomes almost beatific at the close\u2026 This\u00a0Cymbeline<\/em>\u00a0indeed reaches a transcendent plane of forgiveness, serene peace and joy that genuinely feels like salvation.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE METROPOLIST | Josh Phillips<\/span><\/a> “But that it doesn\u2019t just hang together, but positively sings, is testament to Yates\u2019 sensitivity as a director, his acute awareness of the text\u2019s highs and its lows, its shortcomings as well as its triumphs, and the cast\u2019s commitment to a difficult play.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 LIVE THEATRE UK | Stephen Collins<\/span><\/a> “Emily Barber plays Imogen as smart, independent and outspoken … It\u2019s a complete and totally captivating performance.<\/span><\/p>\n

THEATRE GUIDE LONDON | Gerald Berkowitz<\/span><\/a> “Yates discovers that the happy, sometimes mock-heroic, sometimes silly for the sake of being silly, audience-embracing quality of a panto does carry the play more effectively.”<\/span><\/p>\n

BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE | Howard Loxton<\/a><\/span> “This is a production in which almost every layer is in command of the verse, making sense flow freely so that it works its effect without drawing undue attention to its form.”<\/span><\/p>\n

PHILLY.COM | Toby Zinman<\/span><\/a> “A theatrical experience both entertaining and transporting, authentic and fine in a rare way.”<\/span><\/p>\n

EAST IS EAST by Ayub Khan Din (Trafalgar Studios, West End)<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE GUARDIAN | Lyn Gardner<\/a><\/span> “Director Sam Yates announces himself as a major talent in a revival, played out on Tom Scutt\u2019s clever, deceptively flexible design, which is pleasingly fluid…and which always puts truth before comedy. The payoff is a show that delivers the laughs even as it hurts.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE TIMES | Sam Marlowe<\/a><\/span> “Thrillingly vital. A play with guts, wit and a big, beating heart”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH |\u00a0Jane Shilling<\/a><\/span> “Sally Bankes\u2019s high-energy performance as the gossipy Catholic neighbour, Auntie Annie, lights up the stage, and the final scene, a disastrous betrothal tea-party, is a comic gem.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE INDEPENDENT | Paul Taylor<\/a><\/span> “It brings Jane Horrocks back to stage in a terrific, gutsy-yet-sensitive portrayal of Ella… Ayub Khan Din’s performance skilfully manages to bring out what is tragicomically impossible about this interfering, overbearing figure… a crack cast.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 FINANCIAL TIMES | Sarah Hemming<\/span><\/a> “Jane Horrocks, brusque, tough, tender, cigarette permanently in hand, is beautifully observed as the mother torn between her husband and her children…\u00a0Sam Yates\u2019 crisp, funny revival…is period, yet resonates powerfully today.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 T<\/a>HE MAIL ON SUNDAY | Georgina Brown<\/span>\u00a0“The scene when the girls\u2019 parents come to tea, a wonderfully witty nod to Shaw\u2019s Pygmalion, is the comic highlight of Sam Yates\u2019s revival. A belter, as Ella would have said.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 TIME OUT (Critics’ Choice) |\u00a0Rachel Halliburton<\/a><\/span> “Sam Yates directs the action with pace and flair, as we gaze down on Tom Scutt\u2019s cosily claustrophobic set, comprised of a red brick backdrop, nine battered black wooden doors, and a couple of sofas that look ready for retirement.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 WHAT’S ON STAGE |\u00a0Michael Coveney <\/span><\/a>“The marvel of Sam Yates’s superbly cast revival – with the author himself playing the Muslim paterfamilias – is that it still works as a cunningly engineered drama of assimilation and resentments.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 LONDON THEATRE | Mark Shenton<\/span><\/a> “Sam Yates and his designer Tom Scutt bring a period realism to the setting, but the play strikes a universal resonance for any time and any family.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 EXEUNT MAGAZINE | Alice Saville<\/span><\/a> “Directed by Sam Yates, this is a brilliantly funny production.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 CITY A.M. | Steve Dinneen<\/a><\/span> “Jane Horrocks shines as the long-suffering, chain-smoking mother who attempts to juggle her husband\u2019s demands with her children\u2019s expectation of certain western freedoms.”<\/span><\/p>\n

THE SPECTATOR |\u00a0Lloyd Evans<\/a><\/span>\u00a0“This play is one of the gems of the theatrical repertoire, and Sam Yates’s production is pretty near flawless.”<\/span><\/p>\n

HUFFINGTON POST | Victoria Sadler<\/span><\/a> “The direction from Sam Yates is superb. The scenes flow effortlessly into one another, keeping the energy and drive throughout the two-hour running time.”<\/span><\/p>\n

DAILY MAIL | Baz Bamigboye<\/span><\/a> “Director Sam Yates draws out the humour and there are some great belly laughs, but I was also struck by a powerful moment when Khan-Din\u2019s George hits Horrocks\u2019s Ella.The difference in size makes the assault all the more shocking, and adds a dynamic I hadn\u2019t considered when I saw the play at the Royal Court…\u00a0a crowd-pleaser that makes you think. And the ensemble\u2019s superb.”<\/span><\/p>\n

TNT MAGAZINE | Louise Kingsley<\/span><\/a> “Playwright Khan Din is now old enough to take on the role of George himself and, under Sam Yates\u2019 clever direction, reveals the sad perplexity beneath his despotic exterior as the next generation embraces Western ways.”<\/span><\/p>\n

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH | William Langley<\/span><\/a> “Jane Horrocks\u00a0has made an unlikely return to the big time in East is East, a West End hit…\u00a0Critics described 50-year-old Horrocks\u2019 performance as \u201cterrific, gutsy, sensitive\u201d, \u201cbeautifully judged\u201d and \u201cchirpily resilient\u201d.”<\/span><\/p>\n

THE EL. TRAIN Three One-Act Plays by Eugene O’Neill (Hoxton Hall)<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE OBSERVER | Kate Kellaway<\/a><\/span>\u00a0 “Sam Yates proves himself a director of unusual flair with a pitch-perfect sense of O’Neill’s prose and of theatrical sound: the thunder of train and storm.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE GUARDIAN | Michael Billington<\/a><\/span>“Ruth Wilson and Sam Yates have joined forces to direct, in a former Victorian music hall, three early Eugene O’Neill plays written between 1913 and 1918. The result is a spellbinding 90-minute evening… It all makes for an extraordinary occasion, from which one emerges feeling that the rawness of the writing is outweighed by O’Neill’s Hardyesque concern with mankind’s endless struggle against a merciless destiny.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH |\u00a0Jane Shilling<\/a><\/span> “Remarkable…The staging is bleakly beautiful, the original score by Alex Baranowski sensational, the performances brutally truthful.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE TIMES | Sam Marlowe<\/a><\/span>\u00a0(Critics’ Choice) “In these tales of desperation, every moment pulses with life. Intoxicating and savagely compelling.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE INDEPENDENT |\u00a0Holly Williams<\/a><\/span> “Three short one-acts plays by Eugene O’Neill are brought together in a snazzily tricked out old music hall in east London, given a speakeasy vibe complete with smokin’ live jazz and a cocktail bar dubbed the Hell Hole after O’Neill’s favourite haunt.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 T<\/a>HE WEEK<\/span>\u00a0“Critics are praising a trio of short dramas by Eugene O’Neill, The El Train at Hoxton Hall, as “spellbinding” and “savagely compelling”. The three one-act plays (The Web, Before Breakfast and The Dreamy Kid) feature performances and direction by Ruth Wilson (Luther, The Lone Ranger).”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 TIME OUT |\u00a0Andrzej Lukowski<\/a><\/span>\u00a0(Critics’ Choice) “This trio of his early shorts bite painfully deep in the age of Atos, austerity and the bedroom tax.”<\/span><\/p>\n

THE AMERICAN |\u00a0Jarlath O’Connell<\/a><\/span>\u00a0“All three are mini masterpieces in dramatic tension and like a perfect short story they make you long for more.”<\/span><\/p>\n

THE DAILY MAIL |\u00a0Baz Bamigboye<\/a><\/span>\u00a0“Ruth Wilson is superb in a pair of one-act Eugene O\u2019Neill plays at the Hoxton Hall in East London. Wilson directs a third O\u2019Neill short, which completes The El Train line-up, and there\u2019s great jazz \u2014 and a marvellous bar.”<\/span><\/p>\n

THE EVENING STANDARD |\u00a0Louise Jury <\/a><\/span>\u00a0“Ruth Wilson has admitted that going to the theatre in the West End leaves her cold, but that she is having a ball making her directing debut in a rather shabby hall in east London.”<\/span><\/p>\n

THE GUARDIAN |\u00a0Andrew Dickson<\/a><\/span>\u00a0“Ruth Wilson and her co-director, Sam Yates, are even building a pop-up saloon modelled on the one the playwright notoriously frequented… “I knew I wanted to direct,” she says, “but didn’t know what or when.” Then she got talking to Yates, “and he said, ‘I’ve found these amazing O’Neill shorts, you should come and read some.’ I’ve been in love with O’Neill ever since doing Anna Christie, so I did.” Soon, the pair were auditioning actors, then plunged straight into rehearsals.”<\/span><\/p>\n

THE GUARDIAN |\u00a0Matt Trueman<\/a><\/span> “Ruth Wilson will star in The Web and Before Breakfast, both of which O’Neill wrote in his 20s, and make her directing debut with The Dreamy Kid. Both shows will be directed by Sam Yates, who has impressed critics with a string of dusted-down classics at the Finborough theatre, including Cornelius and Mixed Marriage. “I’m thrilled to be presenting three of Eugene O’Neill’s lesser-known, one-act plays at London’s historic Hoxton Hall,” he said. “Written when O’Neill was in his 20s, these sometimes violent, passionate works show the undeniable genius of one of America’s greatest dramatists.”<\/span><\/p>\n

THE DAILY MAIL |\u00a0Baz\u00a0Bamigboye<\/a><\/span>\u00a0 “Ruth will star in two short plays by Eugene O\u2019Neill, and direct a third \u2014 marking her theatrical directorial debut \u2014 at Hoxton Hall, East London, in December.”<\/span><\/p>\n

WHAT’S ON STAGE |\u00a0Theo Bosanquet<\/span>\u00a0<\/a> “The plays – The Web, Before Breakfast and The Dreamy Kid – were written between 1913 and 1918 and are being presented together for the first time.\u00a0Wilson will act in The Web and Before Breakfast, directed by Sam Yates, and will make her directorial debut with The Dreamy Kid.”<\/span><\/p>\n

OUTSIDE MULLINGAR by John Patrick Shanley (Ustinov Theatre, Bath)<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH | Claire Allfree<\/a><\/span> “What makes it special, in Sam Yates\u2019s skilfully attuned production, is the thoroughly lived-in feel of its characters and their gorgeous, knarly dialogue.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 WHAT’S ON STAGE | Kriss Hallett<\/a><\/span> “The writing is so quietly exquisite and the performance so full of love and regret that one forgets to breathe.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE STAGE | Jeremy Brien<\/a><\/span> “Sam Yates moves the narrative along with gentle skill, replacing recollections of the gloomy, rain-splashed opening with the father\u2019s touching final heart-to-heart with his son.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE PUBLIC REVIEWS | Claire Hayes<\/a><\/span> “Yates\u2019 direction brings out the change of pace with great poignancy, as Tony in ill-health eventually softens towards his son.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE BATH CHRONICLE | Jackie Chappell<\/a><\/span> “The cast of four is superb, the characters rounded and relationships believable… a huge hit.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 BRISTOL POST<\/span> “Would surely figure at the top of an “best” list, if not at the summit.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 STAGE TALK MAGAZINE | Simon Bishop<\/a><\/span>\u00a0“A wonderful cast…compassionate and delightful.”<\/span><\/p>\n

THE BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE | Allison Vale<\/a><\/span> “The pitch-perfect cast breathe so much life into these four neighbours that the resulting sense of intimacy is palpable.”<\/span><\/p>\n

BILLY LIAR by Keith Waterhouse and Willis Hall (Royal Exchange, Manchester)<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

WINNER Manchester Theatre Awards<\/a><\/span> “Billy Liar at the Royal Exchange Theatre claimed two of the acting gongs, Best Actor for Harry McEntire, and Best Newcomer to Emily Barber.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE GUARDIAN | Alfred Hickling<\/span><\/a> \u201cTeenage dreamer is as witty as ever in a fine revival\u2026 Sam Yates\u2019 production is played admirably straight to often hilarious effect.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE INDEPENDENT |\u00a0Paul Vallely<\/span><\/a> “Pitch-perfect acting…Harry McEntire as Billy – by turns charming, witty, urbane and profoundly self-deluded – is a reminder that Billy does not inhabit the world of Kingsley Amis’ Lucky Jim<\/em> but that of the stifling anger of John Osborne with the black humour of Joe Orton… Sam Yates’s ending to the production offers more ambiguity as to why Billy remains trapped than Waterhouse’s novel does. The ending feels bleaker. But it makes it a Billy Liar for our times.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 WHAT’S ON STAGE |\u00a0Julia Taylor<\/span><\/a> \u201cSam Yates finds the sadness beneath the humour in Keith Waterhouse\u2019s celebrated text and it works wonderfully well\u2026The poignant moments creep up on you and leave a lasting impact.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE PUBLIC REVIEWS |\u00a0Laura Maley<\/span><\/a> \u201cBilly Liar needs a strong central performance and Harry McEntire brings that\u2026 Rebekah Hinds is an understated comic gem as Barbara.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u00a0THE TIMES | Kate Bassett<\/span><\/a> \u201cIt\u2019s fabulous\u2026. Revived commendably by rising director Sam Yates\u2026 (Harry McEntire\u2019s) physical comedy is highly entertaining. And his waving arms, in the final moments, become frenzied, his body thrashing into a searing blur of complete breakdown.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE GOOD REVIEW | Tracey Lowe<\/span><\/a> \u201cThe cast are absolutely outstanding\u2026 does great justice to a wonderful, witty story.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 TH<\/a>E MORNING STAR<\/span>\u00a0“Sam Yates\u2019s excellent direction and a brilliantly engaging cast… Harry McEntire is a wonderful Billy, making what could be an obnoxious teenager into a vulnerable, scared and sad character whose dream world is neither feckless nor malicious.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 <\/span>NORTHERN SOUL |\u00a0Lucia Cox<\/span><\/a> \u201cThe cast are sublime under the direction of Sam Yates\u2026 The sad, lamenting ending is a terrible punch to the guts.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 BLACKPOOL GAZETTE | David Upton<\/span><\/a> \u201cYates reins the play in from becoming physical farce and instead concentrates on it\u2019s brooding satire.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 MA<\/a>NCHESTER WOMEN<\/span>\u00a0“The latest incarnation of Billy Liar, directed by Sam Yates, is perfectly cast with particularly memorable performances from Harry McEntire as Billy and Katie Moore as Rita.”<\/span><\/p>\n

MANCHESTER THEATRE AWARDS\u00a0| David Upton<\/span><\/a> “Fine care has been taken with casting throughout, and around Billy are family and girlfriends rooted in all-too-apparent reality.”<\/span><\/p>\n

EXEUNT MAGAZINE\u00a0| John Murphy<\/span>\u00a0“The beauty of Sam Yates\u2019 production \u2013 his debut for the Royal Exchange \u2013 lies in the detailed approach to character and the performances.”<\/span><\/p>\n

CORNELIUS by J.B. Priestley,\u00a059E59, New York (June 2013)<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

THE NEW YORK TIMES |\u00a0Ben Brantley\u00a0(Critics’ Pick)<\/span><\/a>\u00a0“Expertly directed by Sam Yates…Cornelius, given virtuosic life by Mr. Cox, exudes an infectious, vital engagement with the world around him and a self-aware distance from it…As designed by David Woodhead and acted with in-the-moment precision, Mr. Yates\u2019s production is a work of straightforward naturalism, with subtle suggestions of the numinous provided by Howard Hudson\u2019s lighting and Alex Baranowski\u2019s music…Wonderful.”<\/span><\/p>\n

NEW YORK POST\u00a0| Frank Scheck<\/a><\/span> “A must-see….Impeccably staged by Sam Yates on David Woodhead\u2019s realistic, \u201930s-era office set, the production features superb work by the ensemble…\u00a0The play\u2019s final moments, in which he unveils a dizzying array of emotions after revealing his love for a much younger woman, won\u2019t be easily forgotten.”<\/span><\/p>\n

HUFFINGTON POST\u00a0| David Finkle\u00a0<\/a><\/span>\u00a0“The marvelously inventive J. B. Priestley (1894-1984) was last represented on Broadway by Stephen Daldry’s elephantine revival of\u00a0An Inspector Calls<\/em>, but that was practically an anomaly. The\u00a0sui generis<\/em>\u00a0scribe has barely been noticed locally since his 1930s heyday. So the arrival at 59E59 of his little-known 1935\u00a0Cornelius<\/em>\u00a0is an opportunity to seize with both hands.”<\/span><\/p>\n

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL | Jennifer Farrar<\/a><\/span> “Yates renders the manners and mores of the period with faithful attention to details, keeping his proficient cast of 16 in orderly motion as events transpire in a large, one-room office. The play was considered edgy when it premiered, and remains relevant nearly eight decades later.”<\/span><\/p>\n

THEATER MANIA | Brian Scott Lipton<\/a><\/span>\u00a0“Director Sam Yates and his sterling cast, led by the extraordinary Alan Cox, have brought out every nuance of this deeply humane tale, set in the office of a foundering metals import firm.”<\/span><\/p>\n

TH<\/a>E NEW YORKER<\/span>\u00a0“Jamie Newall\u2019s spectacular turn, as Murrison, shifts the play\u2019s focus from an economic crisis to an existential one.”<\/span><\/p>\n

THE EVENING STANDARD<\/a>\u00a0| Tom Teodorczuk<\/span>\u00a0Cornelius by J.B. Priestley “is the most commercially successful Off-Broadway production.”<\/span><\/p>\n

THE NEW YORK TIMES | Ben Brantley, May 31st 2013 | Preview<\/span>\u00a0<\/strong>“Nobody paid much attention when \u201cCornelius\u201d opened in London in 1935, though the play was written by the popular novelist and dramatist J. B. Priestley and starred no less an actor than Ralph Richardson. But this portrait of capitalism, as one character calls it, a \u201cgame of snakes and ladders \u2014 without the ladders,\u201d was perhaps too tough-minded for escapist Depression audiences and survived for a mere seven weeks before fading into the twilight of forgotten flops.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Flash forward to 2012, when the tiny but mighty Finborough Theater, known for pulling neglected plays from the shadows (like Emlyn Williams\u2019s \u201cAccolade,\u201d a study in scandal and celebrity), gives \u201cCornelius\u201d its first London revival. It\u2019s a smash, hailed by critics as \u201cpainfully prescient\u201d and \u201ceerily relevant.\u201d So eight decades after its inception, \u201cCornelius\u201d has at last crossed the Atlantic for its American premiere. Now in previews at 59E59 Theaters, Sam Yates\u2019s production for the Finborough has Alan Cox repeating his acclaimed performance in the title role. It is part of what has thus far been an exceptionally strong edition of the annual Brits Off Broadway festival. (Through June 30, 59 East 59th Street, Manhattan, 212-279-4200, 59e59.org.)”<\/span><\/p>\n

CORNELIUS by J.B. Priestley, Finborough Theatre, London<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE GUARDIAN | Michael Billington<\/a><\/span> “A monumental leading role, which Alan Cox here fills to the brim, conveying the pipe-smoking decency of a man who will do anything to stop the firm going bust out of loyalty to his partner. At the same time, Cox suggests Cornelius is a poet and dreamer who sees through the futility of petty commerce and yearns for a life of adventure. It is a wonderfully two-toned performance well supported in Sam Yates’s lively production.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE TIMES | Sam Marlowe <\/a><\/span>“Sam Yates\u2019s production is beautifully modulated and played to perfection, its atmosphere of deadening routine offset by the petty politics and personal quirks that characterise office life, now as then…Piercingly relevant, compassionate and delivered, like Cornelius\u2019s bons mots, with great style.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE DAILY TELEGRAPH | Dominic Cavendish<\/a><\/span>\u00a0“Cornelius, played in the original production by Ralph Richardson and here, in Sam Yates\u2019s splendidly cast staging at the Finborough by Alan Cox, is one of two chief partners in an aluminium import business called Briggs and Murrison…Blessed with a philosophical air of carefree detachment and a theatrically declamatory manner, Cornelius \u2013 unruffled and raffish in Cox\u2019s richly nuanced performance.”<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u00a0THE INDEPENDENT |\u00a0Paul Taylor<\/span><\/a> “Sam Yates’s engaging and well-judged revival, it emerges as an intriguing period piece that speaks to our times”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 MAIL ON SUNDAY | Robert Gore-Langton<\/a><\/span>\u00a0“Cox is a joy as the boss…in this beautifully staged and fascinating production.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE SUNDAY TIMES | Maxie Szalwinska<\/a><\/span> “Everyone in this play has their own modest yearnings, and the director, Sam Yates, takes them seriously.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE EVENING STANDARD | Fiona Mountford<\/a><\/span> “It\u2019s rare that a \u201crediscovered theatrical gem\u201d lives up to its pre-billing. But just this once, just maybe, the always intrepid Finborough won\u2019t be breaking the Trade Descriptions Act, with this superb revival of an all but forgotten 1935 JB Priestley piece.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 TIME OUT MAGAZINE (Critics’ Choice) | Tom Wicker<\/a><\/span> “Sam Yates’s sensitive, well-judged production sees ‘Cornelius’ wearing its age lightly.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE ARTS DESK | Matt Wolf<\/a><\/span>\u00a0 “The most exciting reclamation from the English theatrical canon since the same venue produced Emlyn Williams’s startling and welcome Accolade…Funny and endearing…and the young director Sam Yates and his hugely accomplished cast do the occasion proud.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 WHAT’S ON STAGE | Michael Coveney<\/a><\/span> “This attractively strange and surprising 1935 play by J B Priestley, acutely well cast and directed by Sam Yates, has the added chill relevance of being about economic collapse and unemployment in a recession.”<\/span><\/p>\n

MIXED MARRIAGE by St John Ervine, Finborough Theatre, London<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE GUARDIAN | Michael Billington<\/a><\/span>\u00a0\u201cA fine production by Sam Yates that, in compressing the four acts into an uninterrupted 80 minutes, gives the play a headlong momentum and never strikes a false note\u2026 The most compelling play in London\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE FINANCIAL TIMES | Ian Shuttleworth<\/span>\u00a0“St John Ervine’s family drama of class, nationalism and bigotry proves him a Belfast predecessor of O’Casey.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 WHAT\u2019S ON STAGE<\/span><\/a>\u00a0\u00a0\u201cSam Yates\u2019 exciting production assures us that the play’s issues remain timeless.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 LONDON THEATRE REVIEW | Blanche Marvin<\/span>\u00a0\u201cThe set, lights, costumes in the hands of this highly sensitive and passionate director blend into an amazing production.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

THE STAGE |\u00a0Nicholas Hamilton<\/span><\/a> \u201cSam Yates\u2019 direction the tension builds steadily to an impressive climax.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

VARIETY | David Benedict<\/span> \u201cYates keeps the pace up and runs the original four-act play in 80 minutes without a break. Yet he still finds time for repose, filling transitions with characters isolated in David Plater’s coolly atmospheric light.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

PURGATORY by W.B. Yeats, C Venues, Edinburgh Festival<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE<\/span> \u00a0“The strength and effect of the simple story is maximised by the play\u2019s short running time and makes the bitter end all the more shocking, as the audience is swept in the plain and simple horror of the tale.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 BROADWAY BABY<\/span>\u00a0“Young director Sam Yates and designer Rebecca Patterson have conjured up a stunning version\u2026 All in all, a flawless production.”<\/span><\/p>\n

MACBETH by William Shakespeare, C Venues, Edinburgh Festival<\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 BROADWAY BABY<\/span>\u00a0“Director Sam Yates has changed my expectations of a Fringe show. His interpretation of Macbeth raises the bar so high that other 5-Star shows suddenly look amateurish in comparison. The most spectacular production of a classic I have seen in Edinburgh – or even London – for years.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THE BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE<\/span>\u00a0“The actors acquit themselves well under inventive director Sam Yates. Yates has combined a shortened version of the text with striking and memorable images. In particular, the appearance of Banquo’s ghost at the banquet is vividly and terrifyingly realised.”<\/span><\/p>\n

\u2605\u2605\u2605\u2605 THREE WEEKS<\/span> “This fantastic production fuses intense acting with heavy-duty costumes, breathing life and soul into the original. A brave and successful production that really has something exciting and original to offer.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Observer Rising stars of 2014 – stage<\/strong><\/a><\/span><\/h1>\n

“The El Train<\/em>\u00a0was a brilliantly immersive experience, punctuated by gutsy jazz numbers, and with a Hell Hole bar serving cocktails. It sets an auspicious tone for 2014, when Yates, 30, will take on his most high-profile solo gig so far: directing\u00a0Billy Liar<\/em>\u00a0at Manchester’s Royal Exchange. He also has a short film in the offing.” Read full article.<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

GQ Magazine,\u00a0Men of Next 25 Years<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/h1>\n

“<\/strong>According to\u00a0Michael Grandage, Director<\/a>. \u00a0Sam Yates, 30, is a young director on the rise. He trained with directors such as Trevor Nunn and Phyllida Lloyd, before I worked with him at the Donmar on plays starring Judi Dench and Jude Law. His production of\u00a0Cornelius<\/em><\/a>\u00a0by JB Priestley was critically hailed on the London fringe, and when it transferred to off-Broadway, the\u00a0New York Times<\/em><\/a>\u00a0endorsed him as a major rising talent.” (GQ Magazine, December 2013).<\/span><\/p>\n

First Person: Sam Yates on directing a Tom Stoppard play in real time via Zoom<\/a><\/span><\/h1>\n

THE ARTS DESK:<\/strong> “A little-known Stoppard play comes to new life during lockdown.”<\/span><\/p>\n

The Stage profile interview<\/span><\/a><\/h1>\n

THE STAGE:<\/strong> “The award-winning director has brought David Mamet\u2019s Glengarry Glen Ross to the West End. He talks to\u00a0\u00a0Matt Trueman<\/b>\u00a0about being an actor\u2019s director and why his eclectic body of work prizes the writer\u2019s vision…”<\/span><\/p>\n

Screen International Stars of Tomorrow<\/span><\/a><\/h1>\n

FEATURE: “<\/b>Despite carving out a successful career as a theatre director – including The El Train<\/em> starring Ruth Wilson – Sam Yates says he always had \u201can instinct\u201d to get into film…”\u00a0(read more)<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

REVIEWS VANYA (Off Broadway, New York) JESSE GREEN THE NEW YORK TIMES CRITICS’ PICK “This Vanya is a reset. As strange as it is in conception, in performance it is the best I have seen. Collecting Ivan and Helena and Michael and Sonia and the rest in one body, and filtering their emotions through one […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2232","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samyatesdirector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2232","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samyatesdirector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samyatesdirector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samyatesdirector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.samyatesdirector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2232"}],"version-history":[{"count":143,"href":"https:\/\/www.samyatesdirector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2232\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4927,"href":"https:\/\/www.samyatesdirector.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2232\/revisions\/4927"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.samyatesdirector.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2232"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}