Two Rounds at Jermyn Street Theatre

Two Rounds at Jermyn Street Theatre achieves the thematic explorations of Barbie – a polarising speech and feminist discussions surrounding women’s purpose and place in society – with less glam and glitter, and does it even better. Written by Cristina Comencini and directed by Aida Rocci, Two Rounds is a two-act play depicting a group of women who drink tea and play cards every Thursday, bringing along their daughters. They discuss varying issues they have with their marriages, family and having children, discontent with the life that they have chosen, sexual pleasure, their stance on what and who women should be, and secrets that heavily burden them.

Symmetrical by design, the play is split into two parts: the first half before intermission is a typical Thursday meeting between the four friends, while the second half follows their four daughters getting together years down the line. This structure is an ode to the cyclical and parallel nature of mother-and-daughter relationships. There are important dialogues surrounding whether everything a daughter does is a direct result of their mothers and whether mental illness is something affected by genetics. 

Each of the four women are distinct individuals who have their own plights. There’s Sara (Flora Sowerby), the dreamer who gave up playing piano to raise her children. Claudia (Natalie Cutler) and Sofia (Saria Steyl) play contrasting roles: Claudia is the happy-go-lucky wife whose husband is having a marital affair, while Sofia is unhappily married and the mistress of an unfaithful man. Finally, there’s Beatrice (Daria Mazzocchio), pregnant and the only one who seems to be content and happy with the life she lives. As the play ventures into its second half, audience members will see through their daughters how, despite the very open and honest discussions these women had with each other, they never actually truly knew each other. The viewer makes assumptions regarding who these people are based on everything they talk about, but that small glimpse into their lives still doesn’t represent a lifetime of unspoken words and hidden emotions.

The exploration of feminist themes in Two Rounds is very dense and nuanced, but the play doesn’t sacrifice entertainment for lectures. Even with just a single set and a few props, it’s easy to get sucked into the world of Sara, Claudia, Sofia and Beatrice. The script is witty and has many fun little jabs and jokes. It’s especially endearing when the daughters discuss similar topics that their mothers once talked about, repeating almost word for word the same lines. In general, the characters are so well-written and the actors are brilliant in both the roles they portray, whether it be the mother or the daughter. It’s fascinating to watch the dynamic between the two sets of women because it genuinely reflects feminine relationships, capturing the loyalty, love, as well as toxicity that is present among such connections.

Two Rounds is charming and speaks strongly to the female experience. It’s honest, and the topics are wonderfully relayed: the play isn’t condescending, just expressing the truth for what it is. Its greatest shame is its very short run – because more people deserve to see and hear what it has to say.

Mae Trumata
Image: Giulia Delprato

Two Rounds is at Jermyn Street Theatre from 7^th until 10^th February 2024. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.