Review: Love Letters

Hey readers!

It's time for my review of Love Letters. 

"When the young Andrew Makepeace Ladd III accepts an invitation to Melissa Gardner’s birthday party, Melissa writes him a thank you note… and a unique romantic friendship and delicately warm correspondence destined to last for almost half a century is born."

Love Letters is rather unique, in the sense that the script is written in an epistolary style. The show's format sees the two actors sit opposite one another, reading out a series of letters that last a grand total of 50 years. The letters are still acted out, though simply through verbal communication and without any surrounding props or so forth. Even though the play is simply a reading, A. R. Gurney's writing abilities do an excellent job at bringing the story to life. It's easy to imagine each and every scenario that gets described, meaning that the format is largely effective. As the play goes on, you really start to connect with the characters on a deeply personal level; the intimate nature of the letters really helps this process. I felt rather attached to the two individuals by the play's conclusion, which made the ending all the more effective. The final moments of Love Letters brought several tears to my eyes, which showed just how immersed I had become in the story. The last letter is extraordinarily well written, and it made for a particularly touching ending.

This production stars Martin Shaw and Jenny Seagrove, in the roles of Andrew Makepeace Ladd III and Melissa Gardner respectively. The two actors were utterly sublime, and they excelled in their portrayals. In spite of the play's unusual format, both Shaw and Seagrove did well to engage with the audience throughout. In spite of the fact that they were physically separated, they had an excellent chemistry with one another. They made the relationship feel very believable, making it easy to invest in their story. The final moments of the play were particularly well acted, and Shaw's delivery of the concluding letter was very moving indeed. 

Love Letters is one of the first shows to re-open in London's West End, and it marks a welcome return. It was an utter delight to be back in the theatre, and I enjoyed every minute of it; it's a positive sign of things to come. This is a fantastic production to commemorate theatre's being open again, and I remain hopeful that things will get even better from here on out. 

Now for my final verdict on Love Letters. I give Love Letters...

Love Letters is a wonderful piece of writing, performed by two phenomenal actors. For those wanting to celebrate a return to normality, this is the perfect way to do so. 

Think it should have got a higher rating? Agree with my rating? Think it should have got a lower rating? If so comment below.

Thanks for reading!

-The Basic Theatre Reviewer