Good People, Noël Coward Theatre

Good People is the latest offering from David Lindsay-Abaire, a winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for the acclaimed Rabbit Hole in 2007. It originally appeared on Broadway in 2011, with Frances McDormand in the lead. 

A riveting family drama, set in the playwright's hometown of Boston, it homes in on the cracks that appear in seemingly comfortable family life when a penniless heroine turns up unexpectedly at her ex-lover’s party in the hopes of finding a job. Or at the very least, sympathy. It's a surprisingly funny and deeply insightful story that shines a harsh light on the divide between rich and poor in modern America.

In this revival, Imelda Staunton takes on the role of the heroine, Margie. It has been twenty years since Staunton last graced the Hampstead Main Stage, though of course for a film actress her theatrical CV is of remarkably impressive: only last year she won the Best Actress Olivier Award for her performance as Mrs Lovett in Stephen Sondheim's musical Sweeney Todd. 

It’s hard to believe that in her first year at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Staunton was dismissed as "boring”: after almost 40 years of acting, she has proved herself to be one of the most versatile, talented, witty and above all interesting actresses in the world. 

Doubtless, she will be the heart and soul of this important and relevant play. With her experience in films such as Shakespeare in Love, Sense and Sensibility, several Mike Leigh films and episodes of Victoria Wood's TV series, we believe she will strike the perfect balance of drama and comedy.

The production reunites Staunton with her Sweeney Todd director Jonathan Kent. Other names include Lloyd Owen, who could be seen most recently as the eponymous Bodyguard in the West End. 

The best deals are to be found on Mondays and matinees so we recommend booking tickets sooner rather than later.