The Authenticator
14 April 2026
National Theatre
4.0 out of 5.0 stars
The Authenticator, currently running at the National Theatre’s Dorfman until 9 May, is a gothic thriller set in a stately manor. When eccentric artist Fenella Harford inherits her family’s estate as the last of her line, she comes across extensive diaries from the late 1750s, documenting the daily operations of a Jamaican farm in her ancestor’s possession. She appoints scholars Marva and Abi to authenticate the books, but as the three women pore over the documents, dark secrets of the past are revealed to wide reaching effect.
Staged on a narrow strip of a stage, beautifully decorated to look like a grand room in an old mansion, including crown moulding and a chandelier on the ceiling. Through stunning stage magic, this room transforms into various others, including a low-ceilinged basement, in breathtakingly smooth transitions. There are very clever details hidden throughout this inventive stage design.
This three-hander benefits from charismatic and capable acting of all three leading ladies evoking a trio of believable and incredibly well rounded characters, as different from each other as they are connected through their work. The interplay between the three is fascinating to watch, imbued with wit and intelligent discourse. While tensions rise as darker secrets are uncovered, the show manages to stay believable to the point that I heard several audience members wonder if it was based on a true story as they were leaving the auditorium after the show.
A delightfully complex story that weaves an elaborate web of heritage and legacy, The Authenticator balances humour and intrigue within a compelling storyline. Winsome Pinnock has created another brilliantly nuanced story focusing on the Black British experience, as educational as it is entertaining.
