Hello / Goodbye (2015)
Hello/Goodbye is a play by Peter Souter. After a sell-out run at Hampstead Theatre's experimental Downstairs space in 2013, it was transferred in 2015 to Hampstead's main stage, running from 21 January to 28 February 2015. Directed by Tamara Harvey, it starred Shaun Evans - making his Hampstead Theatre debut - and Miranda Raison.
It’s a new year. And Juliet, young, smart, and sassy has got herself a fresh start in a new flat. But there’s a problem: amidst the boxes, a strange guy is also moving in – and he won’t leave. He says the agency has messed up and her flat is actually his flat. As if that’s not enough, the real problem is that, well, he’s rather gorgeous… |
“It’s an immense privilege to watch Shaun work. He doesn’t seem to act. It’s as if he just is the character. Every line I’ve written is improved by his interpretation.”
Peter Souter, from the Hello/Goodbye programme
'The handsome stranger? I’m totally miscast’ – Shaun on his Hello/Goodbye stage role - Evening Standard, 27 November 2014
Hello/Goodbye, Hampstead Theatre, review: 'this play will break your heart', Telegraph,28 January 2015
Evans wisely steers clear of playing the geek, instead imbuing Alex with quiet charisma and an astute wit. Raison pulls off a neat trick in making Juliet both infuriatingly selfish and totally irresistible, although her histrionics at times seem crude next to Evans’s more nuanced performance. Nevertheless, their chemistry is palpable and the journey through the stages of their attraction a seamless joyride.
Peter Souter, from the Hello/Goodbye programme
'The handsome stranger? I’m totally miscast’ – Shaun on his Hello/Goodbye stage role - Evening Standard, 27 November 2014
Hello/Goodbye, Hampstead Theatre, review: 'this play will break your heart', Telegraph,28 January 2015
Evans wisely steers clear of playing the geek, instead imbuing Alex with quiet charisma and an astute wit. Raison pulls off a neat trick in making Juliet both infuriatingly selfish and totally irresistible, although her histrionics at times seem crude next to Evans’s more nuanced performance. Nevertheless, their chemistry is palpable and the journey through the stages of their attraction a seamless joyride.