“The great strength of Michael Cabot’s fine production is the realisation that the two brothers are equally incapable of going anywhere. They too are stuck in their impossible, albeit small, dreams. Brain damaged Aston is never going to build his shed, buy any of the interesting things he sees on his walks or indeed finish mending the plug he’s always fiddling with. Nicholas Gasson, returning to the role of Davies in this revival of London Classic Theatre’s 2004 production, raises the querulous inertia to a pitch of wheedling pleading that is truly unnerving. Richard Stemp, also returning to his role in the earlier tour, gives Aston’s voice a quiet, strangulated monotone which invests his utterances with a truly enigmatic strength. He only varies it in the great speech when he reveals his hospital treatment, which is delivered with extraordinary power.”
Theatre in Wales on The Caretaker

“A mix of the melodramatic and the macabre, the play grips you not particularly with shock at what is enfolding but a sense of an absorbing slowly paced tragedy in amongst the uncomfortable laughs. As they come out for their final bow, I had forgotten there were just four parts, and four players, in this beautifully realised production. Over two hours bursting with emotion; equal parts hope and despair and just the four on the stage at the end. They weren’t exactly beaming. Selwyn and Dance must have been exhausted. But it wasn’t difficult to detect a certain satisfaction at doing justice to a superb play.”
WhatsOnStage on The Beauty Queen of Leenane

“Humble Boy won numerous awards in the early part of the decade and this revival should enjoy great success, as this extremely talented cast of six makes it a show not to be missed. Within a beautifully designed floral garden they bring forth the joys and sorrows that this riveting play conjures up. The moment Peter Cadden, as George Pye, walks on stage this production really takes off and his character’s vocabulary and antics ensures the audience is not disappointed. It’s a gem of a performance and particularly enjoyed by those who now own bus passes. John Dorney as Felix Humble, gives a masterful performance in a very complex role and creates all sorts of emotions. Pauline Whitaker as Flora Humble, is something of the mother from hell and gives a very accomplished performance. Carole Dance is a joy as the scatty and sometimes irritating Mercy Lott. In a feast of quality acting, both Catherine Harvey (Rosie Pye) and Martin Wimbush (Jim the Gardener) make their own mark in diverse roles.”
The Stage on Humble Boy

“Michael Cabot’s new 30th anniversary production misses nothing… The acting has a real depth and integrity that pays rich dividends, with Pauline Whitaker in painfully fine form as the gently-spoken middle-class neighbour Sue, Benjamin Warren and Helen Johns acting up a slowly-brewing storm as the ill-matched young couple next door, and Jennings revealing the full, lethal depths of Beverly’s boredom and desperation, sexual and otherwise.”
The Scotsman on Abigail’s Party

“Set in a middle-class English living room, a husband and wife await the promised return of their daughter, who mysteriously left home aged 16, seven years previously. Playing the married couple, and on stage for the entire duration, Jonathan Coote and Pauline Whitaker are utterly mesmeric. The script is deliciously ambiguous with unfinished sentences, and emotions are sometimes raw with loss, longing, and anger. When their visitor – surprisingly, not their expected daughter – arrives at nightfall, family love, loyalty, and secrets are painfully exposed and dissected.“
Southern Daily Echo on Nightfall

“London Classic Theatre is a consistently impressive touring company, usually producing sharp productions of modern classics. Here, however, they’ve gone back to 1723 with a sumptuous production of a Marivaux comedy of manners. The first thing that hits the eye is Geraldine Bunzl’s elegant set, artfully designed to fool the eye into seeing it as more solid than it is. The costumes, too, are ravishing. As for the plot, well it’s a sort of fairy tale, a prince disguised as a soldier falling for a peasant girl, combined with commedia dell’arte (one of the characters is even called Harlequin). It’s full of talk, of schemes, of attitudes and of love. It must be played in a mannered style and it could fall very flat indeed. Happily there’s no chance of that with Michael Cabot’s excellent direction of his fine cast. It took me a little while to adjust to its artificiality, but once adjusted, the clear speaking, expert comic playing and perfectly judged design make an 18th Century French play seem fresh and newly-minted in this elegantly enjoyable production.”
OnStage Scotland on The Double Inconstancy

“Three people are in a room, one a former friend visiting a married couple in a country house by the sea. There’s an ever-shifting balance of subtle domination with a hint of menace. It’s Pinter territory, so take what you wish from this intriguing staging by Michael Cabot in its elegant setting designed by Geraldine Bunzl. The conversational sparring, feinting and countering is nicely paced and rhythmic, civilised and well-mannered, stillness skillfully masking tensions of sexual chemistry.”
The Stage on Old Times

“This enchanting, life-affirming, moving and often very funny production is an absolute treat.”
The Stage on Love in the Title

“London Classic Theatre have built a fine reputation for exciting and provocative touring theatre. Michael Cabot’s excellent production can only add to that…an intense, claustrophobic, utterly absorbing production.”
The Stage on Frozen

“Closer than a close-up, fascinating, repellent – remarkable theatre, impeccably presented.”
Oxford Times on Closer

“London Classic Theatre is now a major player on the middle-scale touring circuit if its last production of Molly Sweeney and this one are to go by…the voice of Orton sounds loud and clear in this excellent, very black and very funny production.”
The Stage on Entertaining Mr Sloane

“Michael Cabot’s powerful and absorbing production…this is world class theatre.”
Chelmsford Weekly News on Molly Sweeney

“An excellent production, tastefully directed by Michael Cabot, which will not only tour successfully but could also be worth a run in the right West End theatre.”
The Stage on The Killing of Sister George

“Sensitive and touching, very funny – an elegant, disciplined production, evoking the world of 18th Century eloquence…the cutting edge of modern directing.”
Manchester on Stage on The Game of Love and Chance

“A first-class production, with a talented cast, which deserves to play to capacity audiences in the months to come.”
Oxford Times on My Mother Said I Never Should

“London Classic Theatre’s inaugural national touring production left a challenging impression. An undoubted triumph for director Michael Cabot.”
Westmorland Gazette on Oleanna