Summerfolk review: An unmissable revival for our times

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A large group of petty bourgeoisie clothed in white sit beside a lake in the heat. They drink, they complain and they argue, leaving a trail of chaos in their wake and expecting the working people of the resort they summer in to pick up after them.

While you'd be forgiven for thinking this is a scene from The White Lotus, this is, in fact, Summerfolk, a play written by Maxim Gorky in 1904.

Give the modern prevalence of "eat the rich" films (Parasite, Triangle of Sadness, The Menu, Saltburn etc), right now feels like a very appropriate time for a revival of Gorky's biting class satire. With a cast of mostly shallow, rich characters bickering in luxurious summer surroundings while the world around them is on the brink of collapse, Summerfolk slots right in.

At first glance, an early 20th century long Russian play with a large and complex cast of characters may not exactly seem relatable to the 2020s. However, Nina and Moses Raine's new adaptation makes the satire feel both fresh and relatable.

Gorky's work deals with the preoccupations of the intelligentsia right before the Russian Revolution; affairs, loveless marriages, opinions on lacklustre poetry. At times, we the audience, as a fly on the wall, can see deeper into the darker side of the upper middle class psyche of the time; from the male characters' rampant misogyny to Pyotr's disdain for his own working class origins.

Gorky and the Raine siblings have worked in tandem to create a hilarious and affecting script, stuffed with terrific one-liners and expertly-placed expletives, without shying away from the darker elements.

It's impossible not to draw parallels between Summerfolk's underlying sense of political and social unease and the churning anxiety present in our current world. These eerie similarities mean that this contemporary production speaks to the timelessness of theatre.

Despite being reduced by an hour, Summerfolk still boasts a hefty run-time. While the first half effortlessly flies by, the production begins to show its runtime more in the second half, as repeated arguments lead it to losing a little steam.

However, this is buoyed by stellar performances, as the cast boasts excellent comedic timing, transforming even singular words into laugh-out-loud moments.

A couple embrace on a sofa — Paul Ready Sergei Vassilich Bassov and Sophie Rundle Varvara Mikhailovna in Summerfolk at the National Theatre. Johan Persson

It's difficult to decide which cast members to highlight; Paul Ready's Sergei is infuriating and odious with a gravelly voice and grating laugh, Doon Mackichan's Kaleria is a hilariously pitiable woo-woo figure with a penchant for cringey poetry, and Sophie Rundle's Varvara manages to perfectly strike the balance between aloofness and likability.

However, the standout has to be Alex Lawther, whose sharp, anguished and deeply funny Vlass reads like a strange cross between Charles Bukowski and Robin Williams.

The crowning glory of this production has to be the Peter Mackintosh set. It's somewhat spartan and cleverly utilitarian during the first half, combined with Paul Pyant's excellent lighting to evoke hazy summer days.

However, when the lights go down for the second half, the true genius of the set is revealed in what is sure to be some of the most spectacular staging to grace the Olivier. A previously unseen curtain goes up to reveal the true magnitude of the stage, which has been transformed into a large pier surrounded by a river – yes, an actual river on stage.

One particular breath-takingly clever use of the set led to an audience-wide gasp – but we're offering no spoilers here.

All in all, Summerfolk is a prime example of what the National Theatre excels at: lush revivals giving older epics a breath of fresh air. This production is a relevant, engaging and hilarious night for both seasoned and novice theatre-goers; plus, it's worth seeing it for the set alone.

For more of our thoughts on the latest London theatre, check out our Marie & Rosetta review and our Dracula review.