19 June 2014, The Tablet

Raised bars


Theatre

 
HotelNational Theatre, LONDONIncognitoTHE Bush THEATRE, LONDONCirclesTHE Tricycle THEATRE, LONDONALL DRAMATISTS desire good reviews but the downside for younger writers is the pressure of expectation on what comes next. Currently facing this test are three recent recipients of prizes for most promising playwright.Polly Stenham, whose debut That Face transferred from London’s Royal Court to the West End, has already suffered the strain of being bet on as a favourite. Her follow-up plays – Tusk Tusk and No Quarter – brought accusations of under-performance for having explored similar territory (eccentric ­adolescents in a parentless home) three times running.Now her fourth play has received some brutal reviews, including one star from the Daily Mail and two from The Gu
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