Rooftop Picnic at the National Theatre

After a gloriously promising week of sunshine the joys of summer became punctuated with ominous clouds and monsoon-like showers, and a feeling of apprehension came over me as my evening of fine alfresco dining and culture on The Deck at the National Theatre approached.

As part of their summer programme, throughout the month of August the roof of the National Theatre will be transformed into a veritable country haven perfectly situated on the South Bank offering incredible views of the concrete high rises encircling London, followed by one of the National Theatre’s renowned performances.

With lurid green Astroturf, blossom trees, picnic rugs, deckchairs and gingham galore, The Deck is the ideal Londoner’s escape – far enough away from city stresses but still close enough to allow you to appreciate the city’s beauty and realise why we all still live here.

As the sun began to set, bathing London’s concrete skyline in that amazing low golden light reflecting off the Gherkin in the distance, we sank into our deckchairs and enjoyed our first glass of Pimms. The food was quintessentially British picnic fare with homemade piccalilli, asparagus, squash and goats cheese salad and Westcome cheddar with pecan and raisin bread being just a few of the delights awaiting us in our hampers. And while the wind began to prove problematic for the flower pots on our tables, the picnicking public refused to allow something as ‘trifling’ as deviant potted plants ruin this opportune moment for alfresco dining on the rooftops of London.

Suitably grazed and windswept, we relocated to the Olivier Theatre to see a performance of Thomas Middleton’s Women Beware Women. Now, as an English Literature graduate, Jacobean tragedies were never top of my list if I were to categorise my favourite type of theatre. But in Marianne Elliot’s new production, Middleton’s 1657 play is given a new lease of life making us question why this play seems to have fallen into relative obscurity in the shadow of the period’s more popular playwrights.

Merging the frivolity and lasciviousness of the Italian court, amidst bribery and questionable uncle/niece relationships, Women Beware Women is a darkly comic and seductive tale, here presented in 1950s high society, voicing Middleton’s warning that corruption and lust are a guaranteed ticket to the grave.

With the help of live accompaniment of the lounge music persuasion and a superb ensemble cast, the audience was welcomed into this darkly decadent Jacobean masque. And decadence truly is the name of the game in this production; from the magnificent costumes to the frankly spectacular rotating set and huge chandelier designed by Lez Brotherston, the debauched aesthetic of the Italian court permeated every aspect of the performance but never was this more evident than in Harriet Walter’s standout portrayal of Livia.

An aging beauty, her foreboding presence and poisoned words allowed her to subtly infect everyone she encountered, whether they were her own sex or her own family, expertly entangling the characters in a suffocating web of deceit. As tension built and the threads binding the characters tightened around their necks, the play’s beautifully dark finale saw the tragic spontaneous combustion of their desires and self indulgences in one of the most stunningly choreographed climaxes I have ever seen on stage.

Effortlessly stylish, Women Beware Women is truly a fantastic performance not to be missed and surely serves as a marker for the calibre of the productions at the National Theatre this season. So, if you enjoy satisfying your cultural cravings alongside your penchant for trifle, don’t miss the Rooftop Picnic and Plays this August, but make sure to book your place as there are only limited dates.

Women Beware Women continues until 4 July.

The Rooftop Picnic and Plays throughout August will include: Dante’s Death, Welcome to Thebes, After the Dance and The Habit of Art.

National Theatre
South Bank
SE1 9PX

Box Office: 020 7452 3000