Broadway & International

Training & Drama Schools

Backstage & Technical

Opera

Dance

West End

Musical Theatre

Pantomime

Edinburgh Fringe

Obituaries & Archive

NPO 2023-26

Awards

Jobs & Auditions

Hot Topics

Acting & Performance

Shakespeare

The Wife of Willesden

“Bursts with energy and smuttiness”

ReviewsNov 18, 2021by Dave FargnoliKiln Theatre, London

Clare Perkins and cast in The Wife of Willesden at Kiln Theatre, London. Photo: Marc Brenner

Clare Perkins and cast in The Wife of Willesden at Kiln Theatre, London. Photo: Marc Brenner

Zadie Smith’s retelling of Chaucer’s Wife of Bath, directed by Indhu Rubasingham and starring Clare Perkins, is a joyful, rowdy celebration of diverse voices

Support The Stage by registering or subscribing

To continue reading this article you must be logged in.

Register or login below to unlock 3 free articles every month.

OR

Or subscribe today and get unlimited access to thestage.co.uk.

Dave Fargnoli

Dave Fargnoli

More from this Author

Burnt-Up Love review

Guards at the Taj review

Dr. Strangelove review

More on this topic

Fixing review

Fixing review

Reviews by Tracey SinclairAlphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

Women Who Blow on Knots review

Women Who Blow on Knots review

Reviews by Holly O'MahonyArcola Theatre, London

Timberlake Wertenbaker premiere joins Jermyn Street 2025 season

Timberlake Wertenbaker premiere joins Jermyn Street 2025 season

Production News by Georgia Luckhurst

‘State-of-the-art’ 620-seat theatre to open in west London next year

‘State-of-the-art’ 620-seat theatre to open in west London next year

News by Matthew Hemley

More Reviews

Latest
Most Read

Fixing review

Fixing review

Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

Women Who Blow on Knots review

Women Who Blow on Knots review

Arcola Theatre, London

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button review

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button review

Ambassadors Theatre, London

Burnt-Up Love review

Burnt-Up Love review

Finborough Theatre, London

Aspects of Love review

Aspects of Love review

Lyric Theatre, London

King Lear review

King Lear review

Wyndham's Theatre, London

Staged

Staged

BBC One

Sunset Boulevard review

Sunset Boulevard review

Savoy Theatre, London

Recommended for you

Fixing review

Fixing review

Reviews by Tracey SinclairAlphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

Women Who Blow on Knots review

Women Who Blow on Knots review

Reviews by Holly O'MahonyArcola Theatre, London

Timberlake Wertenbaker premiere joins Jermyn Street 2025 season

Timberlake Wertenbaker premiere joins Jermyn Street 2025 season

Production News by Georgia Luckhurst

‘State-of-the-art’ 620-seat theatre to open in west London next year

‘State-of-the-art’ 620-seat theatre to open in west London next year

News by Matthew Hemley

Dave Fargnoli

Dave Fargnoli

Dave is a playwright and critic. He was the winner of The Stage's Critic Search 2015

More from this author

Burnt-Up Love review

Guards at the Taj review

Dr. Strangelove review

Reviews

Latest
Most Read

Fixing review

Women Who Blow on Knots review

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button review

Burnt-Up Love review

Pontypool review

The Mountaintop review

Dr. Strangelove review

Barcelona review

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button review

Summer 1954 review

How to Survive Your Mother review

The Ungodly review

Jobs

Technical Manager 1.0 FTE

City: London Salary: £38,071 - £...

Redcoat Auditions

City: Various Salary: Competitive

Marketing Manager

City: Blackpool Salary: £30,000 per...

City: London Salary: SOLT/BECTU ...

Head of Musical Theatre (Lea...

City: Dubai Salary: 20,000 AED ...

City: London Salary: Salary base...

Entertainer at Five Lakes

City: Maldon, Essex Salary: Competitive

City: Leeds Salary: £25,685 per...

Technical Director

City: Chichester Salary: £60-£70,000...

Rigging Technician

London £32,188 per annum

Automation Operator

Overseas Competitive inc. fl...

Deputy Stage Manager - Matil...

London Competitive

Trustee - Get Into Theatre

London Volunteer

Construction Workshop Manager

London £57,832.32

Senior Technician Walt Disne...

Overseas Competitive inc fli...

More about this organisation

In pictures (April 20): Carousel, Cheek By Jowl's The Winter's Tale, The Who's Tommy and more...

In pictures (April 20): Carousel, Cheek By Jowl's The Winter's Tale, The Who's Tommy and more...

Features by The Stage

Girl on an Altar review

Girl on an Altar review

Reviews by Julia Rank

Clare Perkins to star in Zadie Smith's The Wife of Willesden

Clare Perkins to star in Zadie Smith's The Wife of Willesden

Production News by Georgia Snow

Kiln’s Pass Over and Donmar’s Blindness up for South Bank Sky Arts Awards

Kiln’s Pass Over and Donmar’s Blindness up for South Bank Sky Arts Awards

News by Matthew Hemley

More Reviews

Fixing review

Alphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

Women Who Blow on Knots review

Arcola Theatre, London

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button review

Ambassadors Theatre, London

Burnt-Up Love review

Finborough Theatre, London

Recommended for you

Fixing review

Reviews by Tracey SinclairAlphabetti Theatre, Newcastle

Women Who Blow on Knots review

Reviews by Holly O'MahonyArcola Theatre, London

Timberlake Wertenbaker premiere joins Jermyn Street 2025 season

Production News by Georgia Luckhurst

‘State-of-the-art’ 620-seat theatre to open in west London next year

News by Matthew Hemley

Most Read

Across The Stage this week

‘State-of-the-art’ 620-seat theatre to open in west London next year

'Game changer': £5m pilot scheme set to boost struggling touring sector

Royal Exchange promises ‘change’ as independent review of cancellation begins

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button review

Black British Theatre Awards 2024: winners in full

Beck Theatre to close amid stalemate between council and operator Trafalgar Theatres

Everyone is welcome at the theatre, unless...

Funded venues are struggling. It’s why fringe theatre is so important

Royal Exchange’s Suzanne Bell to move to Theatr Clwyd

National insurance and wage hikes will ‘hammer’ venues – theatre bosses

Your subscription helps ensure our journalism can continue

Invest in The Stage today with a subscription starting at just £5.99

Newspaper

Opinion & Advice

More

Get Into Theatre

Info

Advertising Enquiries

Awards

The Stage Awards

The Stage Debut Awards

Legal

Terms and conditions

Advertising terms and conditions

Contributor agreement

Digital

Digital Editions

Subscribe

Subscribe

Start a subscription today from just £5.99 Subscribe

© Copyright The Stage Media Company Limited 2024

We use cookies so we can provide you with the best online experience. By continuing to browse this site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Click on the banner to find out more.

Cookie Settings