The Truth, Wyndham's Theatre review ★★★★★

Though it deals with themes of suspicion, deception, and fabrication, The Truth resembles a farce, its rich comedy reflected by the roars of laughter that emerged from the audience. Zeller’s exploration of the inconsistencies of language and romantic rhetoric is emphasised by pacy, punchy dialogue. ‘I’m trying to find out what kind of play we’re in - a comedy or a tragedy,’ pronounces the adulterous Michel (Alexander Hanson) and at its best the play is indeed at once intellectually playful and incisively revealing.

Michel played by Alexander Hanson (Photo credit: Marc Brenner)

Unfortunately the insistency of Zeller’s biting humour becomes slightly tired towards the end of the play, with the cadence of each comic moment too consistently repeated. As the play explores the role of performativity and pretense in a complicated web of marriage and adultery, Frances O’ Connor’ performance of the character Alice though convincing at times felt exaggerative. In contrast, Tanya Franks as the betrayed wife Laurence, and Robert Portal, as the apparently oblivious husband Paul, played their roles with a welcome sense of understatement and subtlety.

The Truth investigates what is best: truth or discretion and though it lacks the irresistible appeal of Zeller’s earlier successes, its moments of comic mastery and probes complex questions integral to domestic life.