William Nicholson’s play, Shadowlands, now in the West End at the Aldwych Theatre, focuses on beloved writer and academic CS ‘Jack’ Lewis and his relationship with American poet Joy Gresham.
The real story inspired the play. Lewis reflected on this happiest (and briefest) of moments in his life in A Grief Observed, a thoughtful study of bereavement and reflection.
Lewis, best remembered for The Chronicles of Narnia, was a confirmed bachelor and Oxford don when Mrs Gresham started to write to him, then crashed into his life at tea in a posh hotel, young son (Ayrton English) in tow.
First written as a TV drama (with Joss Ackland and Claire Bloom), then for stage (Nigel Hawthorne and Jane Lapotaire), Shadowlands is a deeply moving play on life, love, loss, and faith.
This time around, Hugh Bonneville returns to the role of Lewis as the 2019 Chichester production finally makes the transfer to London. He’s joined by Maggie Siff, best known in the UK for her TV roles in Mad Men and Billions.
Siff is excellent throughout, as the intellectual, forthright mother who connects deeply with the rather stuffy writer. Bonneville perhaps lacks the frosting of a man who has never let love in, but he is always the type you root for to find happiness.
On the fringe of this curious collision of cultures are Jack’s fellow dons (Tony Jayawardena as the cleric, Timothy Watson as the cynic) and brother ‘Warnie’ (a grounded and expressive Jeff Rawle).
Director Rachel Kavanaugh cleverly stages the production on a revolve within tall and imposing bookshelves, with actors in smaller roles assisting in set dressing and prop delivery. It offers the illusion of different places, both indoor and outdoor, with great efficiency.
The back bookshelves (set and costumes by Peter McKintosh) offer a couple of surprises for Narnia devotees, while a lamp-post reminds us of Lucy’s first trip into the world meticulously created by Lewis.
It’s the humanity of love, success and suffering that hits hard in Shadowlands, from the moment Bonneville’s Jack steps on stage to begin his lecture on what ‘God is Love’ really means. By the play’s close, he has truly understood, and audiences may be dabbing their eyes.
If the pivotal moment of grief and catharsis is slightly overdone by Bonneville, it can be forgiven in a production that shows love and connection can open the cracks of loneliness and reserve in anyone.
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Shadowlands continues at Aldwych Theatre until 9 May 2026 – details here.
Photo credit: Johan Persson