This clever play did not disappoint. Mark Rylance's long monologue was delivered with genius. Every word was carefully spoken. The other actors' faces were an absolute picture as they had to listen to him with no chance to interrupt. Anyone who books this just to see Joanna Lumley will be disappointed because she doesn't appear until quite near the end. But I had done my research and knew what to expect before I booked. Likewise, anyone who can't last 1 hour and 45 minutes without a fag or toilet break will also be disappointed. For most people, the lack of an interval was a positive point.

Mark Rylance was incredible - his capacity to not only remember all those lines but bring them to life with variety and clarity is mind-boggling. And despite reviews that I'd seen to the contrary, I thought that David Hyde-Pierce wasn't overshadowed at all - his characterisation of his frustration with everything about Valere was delightful. The rhyming couplets worked cleverly, illustrating both the 'refined' and 'vulgar' style which was at the heart of the show and we delighted in the rhythm of it. No interval meant we missed the post-theatre rush as well!

I went to see this with my mum, who is a massive fan of David Hyde Pierce as Niles Crane. Therefore I knew nothing of the show and had no idea what to expect. I was worried that I would be swamped with references over my head and be left confused and annoyed... but I loved every last minute of it. The show was so well cast and had such a quick pace. An interval would have been out of place and an hour and forty five minutes flies by. I would recommend this play to all my friends. The words of the play in verse are extraordinary and I was very impressed by the acting of all the company.

La Bete with David Hyde Pierce, Mark Rylance, and Joanna Lumley is a theatrical tour de force, a comedy that asks something of the audience and rewards its rapt attention. Each of the players brings something to the table: outsize comic bombast and incredible verbal recall from Rylance; hauteur and a sexual frisson absent from the original production from Lumley, and incredulous integrity from Hyde Pierce. The script, in rhyming couplets, sets the stakes ever higher for a the comic payoff-- then delivers. The play, like any other, is not immune to criticism. The lack of change in one of the central characters, for instance, rules out much psychological complexity. But on the whole, the evening was as delightful as it was unusual. Bravo and more, please!

Mark Rylance's spectacular performance lights up this witty and erudite parable about the cultural clash between highbrow intellectuals and mediocre clowning. The play is set in 18th century France (and was actually written almost 20 years ago), but that conflict is even more marked today in an age of reality TV where mediocrity rules (almost) all. Too long? Nonsense. It's a little under two hours from start to finish. Rylance is simply phenomenal. His opening speech, a preening, self-obsessed monologue, lasts an incredible 30 minutes, and is truly brilliant throughout, its wit heightened by Hirson's deliciously clever rhymes. Lumley too is excellent, better than you might expect from an actress best known for television comedy. However, Hyde Pierce, here playing the outraged straight man to Rylance's buffoon, has comparatively little to do beyond expressing his anger and frustration. That might disappoint anyone who's come looking for a live performance of Niles Crane.

This show was a delight. After reading the negative reviews on this site we were worried we'd made a wrong choice; we were thankfully and laughably proved right in going, what a hoot. I appreciate the play will not be to everyone's taste, but for those looking for a witty, erudite, polished show with engaging performances, this is a fabulous treat. The universal acclaim for Rylance's 40 minute drunken monologue is rightly deserved, I have never seen anything like it. The audience was enraptured by his energy and characterisation, at one point a lady laughed with such natural spontaneity that Rylance lost his composure followed by Hyde Pierce, and for 60 seconds the house appreciated two actors caught in the moment of being in a great place- an audience delighted by what they were watching and actors enjoying what they were doing. Is it too long without a break? NO. Movies are often longer and there are no intervals. Please go or you will miss a fantastic show.