The Unfriend
You’ve been brought up to have good manners but good manners aren’t always a good thing, especially when it means you’re too polite to ask a killer to quit your house. Pete and Debbie go on a cruise to celebrate their wedding anniversary, leaving their teenaged kids behind at home. While on board they meet Elsa, a widow from the USA who loves Donald Trump but seems okay. Then they make the fatal British mistake of saying, ‘let’s stay in touch’, something we often say but rarely mean. And things start to go horribly wrong. When Elsa turns up on their doorstep and they realise she’s deadly dangerous, will they drop the good manners and ask her to leave?
This is a fresh new dark comedy from the writer Steven Moffat and director Mark Gatiss, the award-winning duo who created the BBC’s Sherlock series. The Unfriend has already had a great start, scoring a smash hit run at the Chichester Festival Theatre, where it sold out. The audience reaction and reviews were so good it’s transferring to the West End. The Unfriend will be on stage in London for a strictly limited season at the Criterion Theatre from 15th January to 16th April 2023. The Unfriend stars Reece Shearsmith from TV’s Inside No. 9, Amanda Abbington who starred in Sherlock, and Frances Barber from the hit TV series Silk, plus Michael Simkins, Marcus Onilude, Gabriel Howell, and Maddie Holliday. It’s brilliant.
Audience Latest Reviews
Reviews Summary based on 78 reviews
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Unfrendly Take care NOT to buy a seat with a partly restricted view. That really detracts from an otherwise excellent show. Lee mack is so expressive and visual in his delivery
David, 10 Mar 2024
Excellent!!! This play was so funny. The storyline was very good and the acting was excellent!!!
Lisa, 06 Mar 2024
Very funny Well worth a visit
Peter, 06 Mar 2024
Does what it says on the can. A fun trip out, lived up to it's expectations.It was great going to a comedy that had some genuine laugh out loud moments.
Yvette, 01 Mar 2024
Rolling shoe Great cast. Very funny
Yvonne, 29 Feb 2024
Comedy Gold Brilliant script, brilliantly acted. There were no weak links in this fast-paced play. Good direction. Clever set. 10/10
Claire, 29 Feb 2024
Light hearted It was like watching an episode of not going out. Only feedback I could give would be less Shouty, for me I felt it was A bit to shouty at times, however, some great one liners and laugh out loud moments. Good to see the female actors shine and Not just focusing on Lee Mack. I didn’t rate the American accent much, despite the actor delivering her performance . Over all we enjoyed the show even though we figured out the plot line rather quickly.
An enjoyable evening in a lovely theatre and a great bar.
Tanya, 28 Feb 2024
Love it nothing bad to say We really enjoyed this production, Lee Mack is fantastic unbelievable funny but also the rest off the cast where brilliant
Loved the script and the production lay out
Karen, 23 Feb 2024
Excellent play Excellent play. Loved the show as it was very funny and appealed to our sense of humour.
Jane, 22 Feb 2024
Lee Mack is just so funny I love Lee Mack because he has the best body movements, facial expressions and timing. He is definitely the star of the show!
If you don’t like poo talk it’s not for you!
Sheri, 22 Feb 2024
Truly amazing - hilarious! The show was a 12 rated show. It had a couple of one off swear words and some adult ideas, like on the behaviour of teens. Nothing scary about it though. Went with my 9 year old daughter and we were in stitches through the show. Absolutely brilliant.
Maggie, 14 Feb 2024
Funny lee Mack doesn’t disappoint Very funny loved story line lee Mack doesn’t
Disappoint whatever he’s in sat in the gods but didn’t
Make a difference
Rebecca, 09 Feb 2024
Good fun, a great laugh Bought these tickets for my husband for Christmas and they were a great success. We both enjoy watching Lee Mack and were not disappointed, if you enjoy his humour then this is a must
Geraldine, 08 Feb 2024
Good fun Undemanding comedy. Gentle humour, poking fun at family dynamics.
Denis, 08 Feb 2024
A good night out Initially I wasn’t sure about this one, but from curtain up when Frances Barber and Lee Mack appeared and the story unfolded, any reservations were quickly dispelled. It’s very funny, not always belly laugh funny but very entertaining in a way that really portrays the English reticence to confront an uncomfortable truth. Good acting from the whole cast with Lee Mack as Peter and Sarah Alexander as Debbie and as the story revolved around Elsa Jean Krakowski it was unsurprising that Frances Barber’s performance stole the show. A really enjoyable night out, however because of the strong language in the second half, I’d not really recommend it for the under 16s.
David, 07 Feb 2024
Brilliant and Funny All the acting was superb and l was laughing nearly the whole time.
Wendy, 01 Feb 2024
Must see Probably the best show IV seen to date... Simple, funny interesting story line, not over the top with a pile of singing etc.. the cast were very entertaining. 5 stars
Sean, 30 Jan 2024
50/50 OK for a Saturday afternoon but at 45 STG
pushing it.
Francis, 27 Jan 2024
A good laugh A bit predictable but funny show.
Excellent acting by all.
Lee Mack was his usual funny entertaining self
Show appeared quite short but enjoyed
Cheryl, 23 Jan 2024
Wanted more from Lee Mack. Thought the plot weak & the whole thing could have been funnier with a stronger storyline Ok for my £42 seat but wouldn't have paid more. Just an average plot & disappointed as lee mack is normally hilarious!
Elizabeth, 21 Jan 2024
Entertaining Funny comedy, if you like the BBC comedy, not going out you’ll like this production
Jullet, 17 Jan 2024
A great show to have a good laugh Really enjoyed the performance of all cast members, especially Lee Mak. It’s a lovely play to watch, relax and be entertained.
Vy, 11 Jan 2024
Good value and fun Comfortable seats and good view of the stage from the stalls. The cast were well chosen and Lee Mack was very funny with excellent support. Laugh out loud in places.
Diana, 02 Jan 2024
very funny We loved the theatre itself, which created such an intamate atmosphere.
the show itself was funny, extremely well written & acted by all the cast.
Brilliant sketch when lee mack is trying to summon up the courage to 'check out' the policeman, Dave in the loo. Haven't laughed so much for a long time.
Thank you everyone for a brilliant afternoon, we travelled from the midlands just for the show.
KAY, 02 Jan 2024
Wonderful farce Really funny show - slightly black humour that was quintessentially british
Philippa, 30 Dec 2023
Wonderful comedy Stunning theatre. We sat at the front and had a good view. Set mostly in the family home. Great to see the teenagers have such a big role in the show. The cast were hilarious and I would definitely recommend this show.
Helen, 29 Dec 2023
Good fun show Loved the show but only did disappointment is the sound quality/volume. For us patrons up in the grand circle the volume needed cranking up a bit. I didn't think I had a hearing problem!! Sound men/women take note. This is a common problem in many theatres lately.
Deborah, 19 Dec 2023
Clever nad funny Good acting, very witty and funny. An enjoyable day/evening out.
Arta, 25 Mar 2023
Very funny farce and frenetic Fast faced and hilarious, great acting
Steven, 10 Mar 2023
Funny as f Dark comedy at its best. Clever, clever writing, but you’d expect nothing less. Nicely topical. Brilliantly delivered by fantastic cast. Laughed so much. Would happily go again.
Annette, 06 Mar 2023
Belly Chuckling! Really enjoyed this show, laughed out loud throughout - will appeal to all theatregoers - and teenagers would enjoy it too!
Phillip, 03 Mar 2023
Absolutely brilliant Very funny. Great characters and script. Really good storyline and twists. Right out of the No 9 stable and that's a very high bar. Loved it
Gary, 26 Feb 2023
Unfriend- funny goings on at Number 9 A comedy that makes you chuckle - especially if you’re a parent of a teenager- and doesn’t resort to cheap laughs through language or sex!
Steve, 23 Feb 2023
Dated Dated humour.
More suitable for a summer reportary seaside theatre show than West End London.
Bridie, 16 Feb 2023
Witty funny Very pleasant evening! The plot is witty, the set is well designed, the cast is really good,... A very nice play indeed
Jordael, 15 Feb 2023
Funny & unexpected A fun, engaging afternoon
Jenna, 04 Feb 2023
Funny, good story The play is very amusing, well written and entertaining.
A lovely evening out, would definitely recommend
Cynthia, 24 Jan 2023
