Herding Cats

by Lucinda Coxon

Hampstead Theatre December 2011 to January 2012

Anthony Banks’s masterly direction shows comedy and shock alternating. The subtle precision of the cast’s performances bring their characters to disconcerting life. Jeremy Kingston, The Times

I’m still goosebumpy from Herding Cats, a play that creeps into your veins, infecting you with a host of disturbing questions about its characters’ disconnect between fantasy and reality. Maxie Szalwinska, The Guardian 

It’s a tall order to negotiate a play that pushes into recesses of horrific abuse while keeping the bright sheen of something rather everyday – that mixes the unspeakable with droit conversational exchanges. Anthony Banks’s production handles the uncertain, shifting mood perfectly. Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph 

Fancy a triple shot of something bitter and delicious? Here is the dramatic equivalent. Fiona Mountford, Evening Standard

Anthony Banks’s production has an acid precision that gets you squirming. Claire Allfree, Metro

Aided by the brittle Hallinan and understated McGinley – both excellent – Anthony Banks’s production gets the point across with a horrid plausibility. The polished black shards of humour and ripples of queasy horror make for a compelling cackle into the void. Andrzej Lukowski, Time Out

Anthony Banks’s taut production. Jane Edwardes, Sunday Times 

There are no winners here, except the play, which gets the relentless, high-energy production it deserves from Anthony Banks. Lyn Gardner, The Guardian 

Balancing the cocktail of 21st century life is as impossible as herding cats for Justine, Michael and Saddo: Justine has an infuriating new boss; Michael works from home, chatting to strangers for a living; Saddo is one of those at the other end of the phone line. Teetering on the edge, all three are heading inexorably towards Christmas.

Lucinda Coxon’s chillingly funny new play freeze-frames a generation negotiating intimacy and independence in the 21st century. Nominated for Best Play Theatre Awards UK.

Cast Olivia Hallinan, Philip McGinley, David Michaels

Designer Garance Marneur

Lighting James Mackenzie

Sound Alex Baranowski