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Dressing Gown

 
Richard Beck Review by Richard Beck 3 Published: 13 Jan 2026 Union Theatre Show Dates: 7 Jan 2026-23 Jan 2026

A misheard word while eavesdropping on a conversation sets a series of events in motion that embroil the already highly stressed Tom Asher (Jamie Hutchins) in a web of confusion and misunderstandings, all while he tries to cope with the two current priorities in his life: directing his latest play and getting dressed.

A fun and refreshing piece of theatre

Thus the scene is set for Andrew Cartmel's farcical comedy Dressing Gown at the Union Theatre, tightly directed by Jenny Eastop. Casually attired in the eponymous robe, Tom strolls out of his bedroom, but before he can tackle his first coffee, his producer, Dan (Ryan Woodcock), storms in and launches into a prolonged tirade. (The door seems always to be on the latch so anyone can walk in, though some do him the courtesy of ringing the bell.)

Dan is under the impression that Tom is having an affair with his girlfriend, Layla (Rosie Edwards), who also happens to be the lead in the play they are doing. Tom is confused, as that is definitely not the case, but once Dan is done and gone the playwright, Jenna (Freya Alderson), enters to rant about actors who cannot learn their lines and who seem to regard her script as just a guideline as to what they should say. She also throws some important light on Tom’s misunderstanding. Meanwhile, once Layla is in on the situation, she decides to milk Tom’s guilt trip for having not trusted her, and so the layers of chaos and calamity build up.

It’s a joy to see a new play in this genre, with a hard-working and energetic cast who storm through the 70 minutes. The situation is classically absurd, with plenty of ludicrous moments and clever linguistic periods of exploration. It’s funny in places, but it won’t leave you rolling around in the aisles, and there are patches of wordy dialogue that labour potentially amusing moments. Within the scenes the outcomes are fairly obvious, and the stakes could be much higher in terms of unpredictability and things going disastrously wrong.

That aside, Dressing Gown is a fun and refreshing piece of theatre.

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The Blurb:

Tom Asher has two immediate aims. To prevent his life tipping into catastrophe. And to get dressed.

It turns out neither will be easy — in fact both rapidly escalate towards impossibility — as he fends off a series of eccentric visitors whose sole aim seems to be test his patience, his professionalism, his sanity — and his resolve not to be dragged into a disastrous liaison with an alluring young woman who really just wants revenge on her boyfriend, who just happens to be Tom’s best friend and his business partner. What unfolds is an hilarious series of events, underscoring the significance of the simple (or complicated) act of getting dressed.

Best Director Jenny Eastop (London Pub Theatre Awards 2024) directs the award nominated ensemble cast, with her recent credits including shows at The Charring Cross Theatre, The Park Theatre, Finborough and Riverside Studios.

Andrew Cartmel’s previous shows include acclaimed runs at the OSO Arts Theatre, the Hen and Chickens and the White Bear. He is well known for his celebrated tenure as script editor on Doctor Who and his Vinyl Detective and Paperback Sleuth series of crime novels.

Presenting this revival is Ben Arronovitch, English author and screenwriter. He is the author of the series of novels Rivers of London. He also wrote two Doctor Who serials in the late 1980s and spin-off novels from Doctor Who and Blake’s 7.

Dressing Gown is a riotous comedy that demonstrates how even the most innocent conversation can land you in deep trouble. And how hard it is, some days, just to get dressed…

Awarded Best Director 2024 –  London Pub Theatre Awards 

Nominated Best Ensemble Cast  2024 –  London Pub Theatre Awards