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Jessica Saunders

Theatre / Arts Writer

Selected Work

The Indiependent •

‘The Animal Kingdom’ Is An Entrancing Take On Family Drama: Review

Premieres of new writing are exciting events: you truly never know what will unfold when you step inside the theatre. There’s the hope of something fresh, something striking from a different perspective. And with all that considered, The Animal Kingdom did not disappoint.

From the mind of writer Ruby Thomas—and the directorial vision of Lucy Morrison—comes a rich exploration of family attachments, traumas, and healing.
Round Lemon •

Do We Deserve to Narrowly Define Theatre?

The piece explores an ordinary man’s life, as he and an ensemble move together through different rooms, each representing key milestones: birth, the highs, the lows and death. Highly choreographed physical movements – incorporating dance and gesture – achieve this flow through life, until the storyline unexpectedly continues with a theatrical twist.

During the man’s life sequence, the bodies of the ensemble are removed from their personage, symbolising instead the movement of life itself.
The Indiependent •

The Old Vic's 'A Christmas Carol' Is A Festive Treat For The Senses: Review

It’s quite comforting to go and see a Christmas show, just as the season ushers in. And with a sudden chill sweeping across London this week, the timing felt right.

I was expecting to see something festive, and more or less familiar, from A Christmas Carol at The Old Vic. After all, Charles Dickens’ original story was written in 1843 and is retold annually. What I wasn’t expecting was such a full-hearted and dynamic retelling of the classic tale, with lavish design and technical savvy.
The Indiependent •

''night, Mother' is Quietly Compelling: Review

Wrapped up in one 80-minute stint, ‘night, Mother returns to Hampstead Theatre as part of their ‘Originals’ season. Directed by Roxana Silbert, this performance of Marsha Norman’s enthralling play maintains a heady rhythm, despite missing a few beats.

Over one evening, in one house, a mother-daughter duo play a high-stakes game of verbal tennis. Jessie—an epileptic woman wrought with loneliness—serves the first ball to her mother, Thelma, when she announces her evening plans...