Angie Parry

The acting is superb but the themes are extremely harrowing and disturbing casting humanity in a bad light all round. The cast were laughing and smiling when taking a bow as it is acting to them whilst some of the audience were left traumatised, going from what people were saying afterwards. It is a shame the power of the acting cannot be used for good rather than driving home dark themes. I believe humans are essentially good and a play like The Duchess continue to keep reinforcing negative themes as if nothing has moved on or improved from the 1600s. It is a play that traps you in a nightmare unless you are like my husband who showed his protest by walking out. I stayed to see if the play could redeem itself. Many others did not return after the interval.