I saw Bird Grove on opening night at Hampstead Theatre and generally came away impressed. The play tackles a fascinating subject, offering a grounded and thoughtful depiction of rebellion. It was less about a romanticised uprising and more the slow, messy reality of how social change is actually achieved. It feels rooted in realism, particularly in its understanding of compromise and consequence. The performances are strong across the board, with the central characters given real nuance and emotional depth. A few of the supporting roles feel slightly one-dimensional, but they serve the structural needs of the plot effectively enough. My only reservation lies with one aspecr of the ending. After a piece that trusts its audience to draw connections, the shift into a more overtly spelling out of the future struck me as unnecessary, and at odds with the otherwise subtle storytelling. Overall however, Bird Grove is a worthwhile and engaging watch. ★★★½ (3.5/5).

The acting was good. The play itself was not at all what I expected. I thought that, as the Hampstead site says, I might learn something about Mary Ann Evans "becom(ing) the writer she has always dreamt of being". This is 100% NOT WHAT THE PLAY IS ABOUT AT ALL!! This play ends before she has ever written a single line as George Eliot. It is really about male-female roles in rural England in the mid 1800s, and Mary Ann rejecting (mostly) conventions of the time. Again, do not expect to learn anything about her writing the books that she became famous for writing as George Eliot.