Review: The Go-Between
Eastern Angles moved to the stage of the New Wolsey for it’s latest production, a telling of The Go-Between, a novel by L.P. Hartley set in Norfolk in 1900 when a young boy by the name of Leo becomes entangled in a love story between two forbidden lovers.
Hartley wrote the book in 1953, thought I must confess I didn’t know the story until I took my seat in the New Wolsey.
We start with Leo as an old man, reading a diary he kept back in 1900 as a young boy. As he reads his writings memories slowly come flooding back from his youth and the web that he became entangled in. Leo is played brilliantly by Howard Saddler, both as his 65 year old self and also as a 13 year old boy.
Characters from his summer stay at Brandham Hall, in the Norfolk countryside, come flooding back as his reading and the reenactment of the events come flooding back. The cast of seven are on stage for the entirety of the production and it’s a powerful story.
Young Leo naively gets dragged into a tale of love taking notes between Marian (Hilary Greatorex) and Ted (Jack Solloway), two people from entirely different classes, but will the tale end happily ever after? You’ll have to go along to find out. One thing though, the events of that summer in 1900 are set to change Leo’s life for ever.
There’s lots of local references as you’d expect from Eastern Angles, and the local accents too.
A great story, well told by a very able cast and an enjoyable evening with an engaging tale.
The Go-Between now on tour at Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds on 11 September 2026 and The Quay Theatre, Sudbury on 18 September 2026.
Review: Mark Keable, Ipswich24 Magazine
Photo: Mike Kwasniak