Summerfolk
10 March 2026
National Theatre
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
Summerfolk is currently running at the National Theatre until 29 April. Written by Maxim Gorky in the run-up to the 1905 revolution in Russia, the play revolves around a group of wealthy elites whiling their summer away in the countryside. Varvara feels a looming sense of dread, while everyone around her busies themselves with idle summer activities, lakeside picnics, and secret affairs.
This staging benefits from a gorgeous stage design that is both evocative and restrained. From a rustic white timer-frame representing the summer house, to a sprawling riverside landscape represented by subdued green wooden planks with water features running alongside a large picnic platform. Completed with costumes with little nods to traditional Russian dress, it’s a beautiful visual performance that perfectly frames the narrative.
Summerfolk has the feel of a soap opera of sorts, focussing on interconnected relationships between the large cast of characters, at times a little difficult to follow along until names are put to faces. And while not a lot happens over the course of the almost three hour run time, the idle chat and relentless gossiping is very compelling. From an entitled nephew desperate to stop his millionaire uncle from squandering his wealth before he can inherit it, over several illicit love affairs, to the disillusionment from meeting a long revered idol who turns out to just be another regular person with regular human problems, a lot happens while not much is going on. It’s a fascinating study of class and privilege, including several working class grumblers complaining about the airhead summerfolk and their entitlement.
This one is an interesting show that contains so much idleness, yet it manages to hold the audience’s attention with juicy secrets and human drama.
