UK Premiere of *Mary Page Marlowe* Captivates Audiences at The Old Vic
The UK premiere of *Mary Page Marlowe* opened at The Old Vic on 1 November 2025, showcasing the intertwined lives of five actresses portraying an ordinary woman over decades, reports BritPanorama.
This production, directed by Matthew Warchus, follows a similar successful format seen in 2024’s *The Years* at the Almeida Theatre. While *The Years* focused on sexual themes, *Mary Page Marlowe* offers an intimate exploration of a life punctuated by both profound and mundane moments through its non-linear narrative structure.
The audience experiences the evolution of 63-year-old Mary, portrayed by Susan Sarandon, alongside a supportive yet playful husband, Andy, played by Hugh Quarshie. Their exchanges highlight the complexities of love and life, reflecting Letts’s assertion that a human life is a mosaic of significant and trivial experiences.
Each actress brings a unique portrayal to Mary, with Andrea Riseborough and Rosy McEwen sharing earlier scenes that reveal the gradual unraveling of her marriage and struggles with addiction, characteristic of three generations. This focus on familial traits couples with poignant visual storytelling, as gestures and hair colors persist through the years.
Letts’s script poses compelling questions about personal agency and the extent of control individuals have over their lives. As college-age Mary, played by Eleanor Worthington-Cox, grapples with such dilemmas, the production ultimately reveals a hopeful narrative threaded through the lives depicted on stage.
The play maintains its engagement throughout its 100-minute runtime, leaving audiences with reflective insights on personal truth and the complexities of human relationships.
To 1 November, Old Vic Theatre, London (0344 871 7628, oldvictheatre.com)
