The Dawn of Reckoning – White Bear Theatre, Kennington

Writer: Mark Bastin
Director: Matthew Parker

Reviewer: Christine Stanton

“Compelling“

4 / 5

Ruth and Helena were best friends in University – but now 25 years has gone past without a word to each other. Arguments, betrayals and disappointment had tainted their friendship and forced them apart.

They were always pretty different – Helena (Bryonie Pritchard) was the fun, free spirit that men always fancied, Ruth (Jilly Bond) on the other hand was more subdued, a home counties girl that desperately tried to please her mother. But despite their apparent opposite personalities, they were firm friends long after Uni. Ruth was Godmother to Helena’s child, the pair almost like family as much as best friends, so when Ruth ended up marrying Helena’s ex-husband, it was a line that could never be uncrossed. Now it’s their joint ex-husbands funeral, they’ve both been put up in the same hotel and they have 25 years of questions and grievances to air, whether they like it or not.

Bastin’s two-hander is sharply written and full of heart, navigating not just the loss of their ex-partner, but the the loss of their past selves and the friendship they once had. The natural conversations don’t feel scripted, bouncing around various memories, occasionally letting their guard down and re-connecting, before hastily realising and changing tack again, making for some very compelling viewing. As grounded as the majority of the script is, there is also an element of something otherworldly that is neatly woven into the storyline. Parker’s tightly focused direction ensures that it seamlessly blends into the production, allowing moments of curiosity, before plunging the audience back into the here and now.

Bond and Pritchard balance each other out brilliantly, Bond’s measured, concerned and composed manner, alongside Pritchard’s unbothered, snippier Helena creates an intriguing, believable dynamic. They interact well with Hannah Williams’ gorgeously retro designed set, constantly moving around the room, opening curtains or pouring another drink, ensuring the conversations between the pair are never static or stale. As the night progresses, the characters slowly reveal more about their lives and their abandoned friendship, with some emotionally charged conversations that touchingly help explain some of the storyline, though the overarching ambiguity and simmering tension remains throughout, creating some wonderfully intriguing finale scenes.

Runs until 28th March 2026