Name: Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons
Start: 2023-01-18
End: 2023-03-18
Location: Harold Pinter Theatre

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Aidan Turner was born in the Irish town Clondalkin, a suburb of Dublin, in 1983. After finishing secondary school, he applied for a place at the Gaiety School of Acting in the Irish capital, having become interested in performing while working at a cinema.

After graduating from Gaiety, Turner appeared in many productions at Ireland’s national theatre, the Abbey Theatre. These included *A Cry From Heaven*, and a production of Sean O'Casey’s *The Plough and the Stars* in 2005, which transferred to London’s [Barbican Centre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/barbican). The majority of Turner’s stage work has been in Ireland, at venues with as the Gate Theatre, Olympia Theatre and Project Arts Centre.

Following his initial stage roles, Turner turned to screen work, and was cast as vampire John Mitchell in BBC Three’s supernatural drama *Being Human*, alongside [Russell Tovey](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/actor-profile/russell-tovey). The show was a cult-hit and ran for two years. It was this role that led to the actor being cast in Peter Jackson’s *The Hobbit* trilogy in 2012, playing the dwarf Kíli, and saw him nominate for the Empire Award for Best Male Newcomer for *The Desolation of Smaug*.

Turner’s most recognisable role to date is playing mine owner Ross Poldark in the BBC adaptation of the Winston Graham novel, *Poldark*. He has received the National Television Award for Impact during his time in the role, as well as being nominated for Best Drama Performance in 2016.

Aidan Turner made his West End debut in 2018, starring in Martin McDonagh's [*The Lieutenant of Inishmore*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/11285-the-lieutenant-of-inishmore) at the [Noel Coward Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/noel-coward-theatre). Turner played Mad Padraic, a member of IRA splinter group INLA. 

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The Lieutenant of Inishmore [11285]

The Lieutenant of Inishmore

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**Noël Coward Theatre** is a popular venue in the heart of London that continues to draw audiences with its excellent choice of productions. This theatre is a prominent part of London's cultural fabric and has been a part of the city's arts scene since its opening in 1903. Named after the renowned playwright, Noël Coward, it was formerly known as the Albery Theatre. The theatre has a remarkable capacity of 872 seats, offering a fascinating range of viewing experiences. The venue is well-known for its diverse productions, ranging from musicals to classic plays and modern dramas. Past productions include 'Half a Sixpence', 'The Vortex', and 'Deathtrap'. The Theatre's design is a delightful blend of tradition and modernity, mirroring the diverse array of productions it hosts. The richly decorated interior adds to the sensory experience, making viewing a performance here a complete theatrical event. 

 **How to Get There** 
 The theatre is located in St Martin's Lane, a short walk from Leicester Square and Covent Garden tube stations. This makes the venue quite easily accessible by public transportation. There are also numerous bus routes which stop nearby. For patrons driving to the venue, there is a car park nearby in Chinatown. The theatre also offers bicycle racks for those who prefer to cycle.

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Noël Coward Theatre

The Noël Coward Theatre is a prominent London venue known for diverse theatrical productions; accessible via public transportation, parking, and cycle.

When we talk to one another, what are we really trying to say? The slipperiness and complexity of language gets a rigorous workout in Sam Steiner’s 2015 play [*Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/26891-lemons-lemons-lemons-lemons-lemons), an Edinburgh Fringe hit-turned-buzzy new West End production, featuring the starry casting of [Jenna Coleman](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/see-doctor-who-actors-in-the-west-end) (*Doctor Who*) and [Aidan Turner](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/aidan-turner) (*Poldark*). They play a couple grappling with a dystopian new law, the Quietude Act, which commands that no one speak more than 140 words a day.

That number riffs on Twitter’s original character count, but here such rules travel far beyond social media. There’s no point questioning the viability of such a hush law (how on earth would it be calculated or enforced?); best just to accept it. Steiner is far more interested in the effect it might have on our ability to communicate or to maintain a relationship. 

In fact, working-class lawyer Bernadette and privileged musician Oliver have multiple issues bubbling away under the surface already, ranging from her jealousy of his wealthy ex Julie, who he still sees on protest marches, to his sneering about her more corporate job. The new language restriction simply highlights existing fault-lines. 

If one of them stores up fewer words to spend on the other in the evening, does that mean they care less? Both constantly push conflicts away with a “Talk about this later”, not just because they’re out of words, but because they don’t want to face their problems. And it makes them, and us, more aware of telling linguistic tropes – like how Bernadette uses “really” as a qualifier when she’s trying too hard, as in “I *really* love it” when talking about Oliver’s music.

Steiner plays this for comedy, too. When the restrictions first come in, the pair try to get around them by using Morse code and intense eye contact: the former is a non-starter, the latter far too serial killer. Sometimes, life is hard to control – “I spent 40 words ordering a smoothie,” bemoans Bernadette. And blurted-out confessions in their last five minutes of freedom are instantly regretted, such as Bernadette’s choice of word for their sex life: “bored”.

This busy piece has more than 100 scene fragments, jumping back and forth in time from their macabre meet-cute at a cat’s funeral through to the law being enacted and its aftermath. Coleman and Turner brilliantly switch tack at lightning speed, one minute goofily awkward around one another, the next deepening what feels like an authentically lived-in relationship. Bernadette is fixated on creating a new couple language, unburdened by past affairs, to make “I love you” just theirs. It adds a potent personal element to the outlandish premise.

However, Steiner’s play – a two-hander that mixes romcom with a high-concept hypothesis – inevitably invites comparisons with Nick Payne’s recently revived *[Constellations](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/reviews/constellations-vaudeville-theatre-anna-maxwell-martin-chris-odowd-russell-tovey-omari-douglas)*. Steiner’s doesn’t marry form, concept and characterisation in nearly such a seamless, sophisticated way, nor does it have the same level of pathos or existential exploration. Instead it creaks under the pressure to sustain the drama through the full runtime (around 85 minutes), and feels too slight for this Rolls-Royce West End treatment. 

And yet, time has been extremely kind to it in other ways. Recent events make many of its ideas feel not just interesting in the abstract, but alarmingly urgent. The government in the world of the play is intent on silencing protestors and censoring free speech, while making an exception from the hush law for Parliament – one rule for us and one for them.

The strained intimacy of Bernadette and Oliver’s new life recalls all those relationships which were tested by lockdown, and which either grew much stronger or tore apart. And Bernadette’s blasé dismissal of the proposed law, followed by her slow-dawning horror when it’s voted in, put me right back in that nightmarish moment of disbelief when the Brexit Referendum result was announced.

But, whatever you choose to read into it, *Lemons* only works if you buy the chemistry between its two characters – and Coleman and Turner are a powerfully charismatic double act. Her Bernadette is whip-smart but defensive, using a chipper brightness to mask resentments. Turner creates an effective contrast with his looser, brashly charming but sometimes childish Oliver, who negs her when he’s feeling insecure. Sometimes their jagged pieces fit perfectly together; sometimes they just wound each other.

Director Josie Rourke makes excellent use of different lighting cues (courtesy of Aideen Malone) to help us keep track of the time jumps and to visualise the central idea, with shoots of light of various sizes representing the number of words used. Conversely, Robert Jones’s looming curved backdrop, featuring domestic objects, is oddly literal.

In fact, in this oh-so-talkative play, it’s the physicality which is most striking (superb work from movement director Annie-Lunnette Deakin-Foster), along with moments when the duo break into song. It’s a compelling argument for art as a means of expression – for when words just aren’t enough.

*Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons is at the Harold Pinter Theatre through 18 March. Book Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons tickets on London Theatre.*

[![LT - CTA - 250](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/1t6HRGmhlYl70k6PmR0mOZ/3caac861bc1d4233cd7844652c925623/LT-CTA-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=26891&content_product_id=26891&venue_id=134)

*Photo credit: Jenna Coleman and Aidan Turner in Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons (Photo by Johan Persson)*

'Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons' review – Jenna Coleman and Aidan Turner are a charismatic double act

The Harold Pinter Theatre, established and adorned with Victorian architecture in 1881, is one of the most notable theatre venues in the heart of London. Originally known as the Royal Comedy Theatre, it later adopted the name of 'Harold Pinter', honouring the famous playwright. The theatre is situated conveniently in the centre of the bustling West End, an ideal location for tourists and locals alike. The interior is decorated with an impressive array of original features aligned with its historical era of inception, creating an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere for theatre-goers. The theatre has an audience capacity of 796 people across four levels, with the seats divided into Stalls, Dress Circle, Royal Circle and Balcony. Over time, it has been home to many outstanding performances, including shows like 'The Homecoming', 'Moonlight', and 'Betrayal'. The Harold Pinter Theatre undoubtedly offers a memorable and culturally enriching experience for all those who visit.

### How to Get to the Venue 

Harold Pinter Theatre is accessible and well-connected, located at Panton Street in the City of Westminster. The closest Underground stations are Piccadilly Circus and Leicester Square, both within a short 5-minute walk. Numerous buses service the area regularly, making it straightforward to reach using public transport. For those driving, the MasterPark at Whitcomb Street and NCP at Denman Street are the nearest parking options.

Harold Pinter Theatre - LON

Harold Pinter Theatre

The Harold Pinter Theatre is a historic venue in London's West End, known for hosting many notable performances. Convenient and easily accessible by public transit.

Aidan Turner was born in the Irish town Clondalkin, a suburb of Dublin, in 1983. After finishing secondary school, he applied for a place at the Gaiety School of Acting in the Irish capital, having become interested in performing while working at a cinema.

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The Harold Pinter Theatre opened on 15 Oct. 1881 as a comic opera house. Its name on opening was the Royal Comedy Theatre, though its ‘Royal’ epithet was dropped in 1884.

The Comedy Theatre helped establish the New Watergate Club in 1956, a society which helped overturn the stage censorship enforced by the Lord Chamberlain’s Office. The formation of the Club meant that the plays banned by the Government could be performed at this venue as it was now being run as a private club rather than a commercial entity. Notable plays in this category include Arthur Miller’s *A View from the Bridge* and Tennessee Williams’ *Cat On A Hot Tin Roof*. The censorship was finally overturned in 1968. 

Harold Pinter's works were often performed here: *The Homecoming*, *The Caretaker*, *Moonlight*, *No-Man’s Land* and *The Hothouse* all enjoyed successful runs, and Pinter directed a production of *The Old Masters* here in 2004. After his death, it was thought fitting to bestow the honour of naming a theatre after him, and the name was officially changed on 13 Oct. 2011 to the Harold Pinter Theatre. The Ambassador Theatre Group own the Harold Pinter Theatre.

## Harold Pinter Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has four levels – Stalls, Dress Circle, Royal Circle and Balcony. The top three levels are a horseshoe shape around the stalls.

The Stalls is a single block of seats, and offers good sightlines. Some seats are impaired by supportive pillars and the overhang of the Dress Circle.

The Dress Circle doesn’t offer a great raking in the seating, but the view is not affected by the overhang of the Royal Circle. 

The Royal Circle seats curve towards the stage more noticeably than the Dress Circle.

The Balcony feels very high in this theatre.

Harold Pinter Theatre - London Theatre

Opened in 1881 as the Royal Comedy Theatre, it became the Harold Pinter Theatre in 2011. It features four seating levels and hosted notable uncensored plays.

HaroldPinter-SeatingMap-700 x1284 px

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