Hermione's Dinner & Toxic
A double bill at White Bear Theatre
138 Kennington Park Road, London SE11 4DJ
17th June to 28th June 2025 at 7.30pm
Hermione's Dinner
Carla, one of that rare breed of women who harbour a powerful aversion for children, is hoping to save her old friend Roger from being drawn into the clutches of Sue, a woman who desperately wants to 'start a family'. Roger was equally unenthusiastic about the prospect of fatherhood but has he now changed his mind? Carla is introduced to Sue at Hermione's dinner party. Hermione, prematurely aged by the rigours of parenthood, is struggling to control her unruly and malevolent children whilst being constantly reminded of the glittering career she was forced to give up. The battle lines are drawn.
Written by Ian Dixon Potter
Directed by Phoebe White
Performed by Francesca Anderson, Melanie Thompson & Stephen Connery Brown
REVIEWS
“two very different plays and, I have to say, both of them really well written by Ian Dixon Potter”
“Overall, I was highly impressed by Toxic and Hermione’s Dinner. The scripts were well written and avoided lots of potential pitfalls where characters could have gone overboard and lost the sympathy or care of the audience, and the acting really was first rate”
“With both plays, I was left thinking about the characters and wondering what happens next to them all, while wishing them well in the future, apart from Fletcher obviously”
“Both stories were very true to life and easy to imagine happening in the real world”
“Another thing I liked about the writing was the times when one of the characters was speaking directly to the audience”
“So now, the actors and full credit to them for producing six such different characters between them. This is especially true of Stephen Connery Brown, who was so different as Roger in Hermione’s Dinner compared to Fletcher in Toxic”
“Similarly, both Francesca Anderson and Melanie Thompson turned in excellent and performances of very different characters between the first and second play and I have to applaud all three actors for the excellent performances”
“Hermione’s Dinner, which, I’m sure, resonates with many people – including yours truly – who don’t see producing offspring as a necessary or even desirable part of relationships but, due to the conventions of society are not spoken of in public, even among one’s friends”
★★★★ London Theatre 1
REVIEW (of an earlier version of Hermione's Dinner):
"Carla neither wants children herself nor can tolerate the children of others. Invited to a dinner party where her old university friends either possess or crave them, her views are unpopular to say the least. Ian Dixon Potter is back in Alan Bennett territory with the writing here" "A difficult subject to discuss without losing audience sympathy."
★★★★ Theatre Monkey
Toxic
A monumental ego and a self seeking ruthlessness have propelled Fletcher to the top of his profession. An 'alpha male' in every sense, Fletcher surrounds himself with flatterers and sycophants who fear and loathe him. Knowing his reputation for preying on young female employees, Caroline keeps her distance but an opportunity to advance her career propels her into Fletcher's lascivious clutches.
Written by Ian Dixon Potter
Directed by Phoebe White
Performed by Melanie Thompson, Francesca Anderson & Stephen Connery Brown
REVIEW (see above for joint review of 'Toxic' and 'hermione's Dinner')
REVIEWS (of an earlier version of Toxic).
“Melanie Thompson's easy articulacy is engaging” “Fertile ground for debate in a way similar to Mamet’s “Oleanna” – where the lines and boundaries of morality are a valid subject for heated argument” “To say more would spoil the interest in this piece. Writing and acting are strong.”
★★★★★ (four and a half Stars) Theatre Monkey
“One might not agree with Caroline’s course of action, but this is a thoughtful and compelling production. ” “An interesting take on what it is to climb the career ladder whilst making compromises along the way to achieve one’s ambitions” “Caroline’s engaging nature certainly helps keep the viewer interested"
★★★★ London Theatre 1
“Clearly a comment on the whole #MeToo movement of recent years, this is a tightly scripted and thought provoking piece where the actions and morality of both key characters are called into question. When a tragedy ensues the audience is left wondering to whom the title may refer."
John Chapman '2nd From Bottom' Online Theatre Reviews