‘Till The Stars Come Down’ is the latest production to transfer to London’s West End following a successful run at the National Theatre.

Beth Steel’s brilliant new play unfolds at a family wedding in Nottinghamshire where Sylvia (Sinéad Matthews) marries her Polish partner Marek (Julian Kostov). As the alcohol flows, buried tensions are revealed and gasp-rendering moments come to life as kisses are shared, false accusations are thrown and fiery arguments ignite.

Quite frankly, Steel has written a masterpiece. It’s a joyfully funny and charming (although at times exaggerated) observation of family life in a rapidly changing world. Some of Steel’s beautifully descriptive language is simply hilarious and she cleverly takes you from hysterical laughter to awkward disbelief in seconds. Audible gasps from the packed Theatre Royal Haymarket audience are heard on several occasions as Bijan Sheibani’s genuinely natural direction leaves you empathising with all of the larger-than-life characters.

Sheibani cleverly breaks the fourth wall with the audience becoming guests at the wedding and on stage seating helping the production feel intimate and personal. Samal Blak’s set design is simple yet effective with a turning revolve being used nicely to include all four sides of the seating areas and some pleasing effects of rain and fire feature too.

The ten strong cast give formidable, believable performances as a working class family and the comedy truly shines through. Dorothy Atkinson’s ‘Aunty Carol’ is a real highlight and credit too to Aisling Loftus’ vulnerable ‘Maggie’ and Lucy Black’s brazen ‘Hazel’.

It’s an entertaining, comfortably cringey piece with hysterical writing which not only brought the stars down, but brought the house down too.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐