Review by Daz Gale
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We all know what happened to the boy who was cast as Harry Potter in the blockbuster film series but what happened to the boy who just missed out on the role? That's the intriguing and completely fictional premise behind Second Best, a brand-new play now enjoying its world premiere at Riverside Studios in London. With the play thankfully having nothing to do with she who must not be named, would Second Best prove to be magical or would it be a case of close but no cigar?
Based on David Foenkinos’ best-selling novel, Second Best tells the story of Martin who experienced a life-changing moment at ten years old when he came down to the final two contenders to play Harry Potter though ultimately, he lost out to someone called Daniel Radcliffe. Whatever happened to him? Now an adult, Martin prepares to navigate being a father when he is suddenly brought back to that moment in the past as he has to come to terms with his demons and grief all over again.
The summary of the plot does a disservice to the writing which, in actual fact, delves a lot deeper than that. Though it uses the idea of coming close to playing possibly the most famous character in the world to demonstrate it, it uses parallels itself, with Martin’s childhood trauma involving the loss of his father and abuse he suffered finding new and unexpected ways to demonstrate the main themes at the heart of Second Best.
Barney Norris adapts David Foenkinos’ novel with layered writing, deliberately feeling light-hearted at first and easy to dismiss on face value, before the realisation starts of what this situation represents and the wider, far more accessible meaning. With trauma and mental health at the heart of the story, Second Best is a sensitive and creative exploration of how we as humans deal with the things from our past that still haunt us as it isn’t as easy as waving a magic wand to fix everything. Norris’ writing proves breath-taking at best, weaving comedy and tragedy to create something truly compelling. Though moments prove uncomfortable, the art of storytelling is used to full effect with the creativity in Norris’ writing leading to a play with a distinct identity.
The writing is amplified thanks to Michael Longhurst’s inspired direction. From the moment you enter the theatre, (and this is a slight spoiler), Asa Butterfield is already present, pacing around the stage until the show actually starts on a vast, relatively sparse stage with fragments of his life dotted around. Beautifully resembling the chaos that resembles Martin’s thoughts and flashbacks, it is an inspired way to represent Martin’s life and memories and his struggle to escape from them… even signified with the lack of a door on the stage itself, leaving Butterfield no choice but to exit via the audience.
Fly Davis’ set design brings an order to this chaos with the seemingly randomly details dotted around the stage all being brought into the story at some point and all making sense eventually. Second Best is one of those perfect productions where every element works together beautifully to life the source material, with Zakk Hein’s video design providing a sporadic yet effective use of live filming and a stunning use of lighting from Paule Constable, representing the sudden and extreme change in mood and making it incredibly atmospheric. Richard Hammarton’s sound design adds to the atmospheric nature with the use of a heartbeat and background noise raising the tension.
Longhurst uses all of these tools meticulously with his direction. Though Butterfield remains alone on stage throughout, occasionally playing both parts of a conversation, the vast stage is always filled with some sort of creation, never running the risk of becoming boring – in fact, it never risks being anything less than completely exhilarating in yet another example of Longhurst’s skill and genius as a director.
Best known to many for his starring role in TV show Sex Education, Asa Butterfield has made a name for himself through his variety of screen credits in both television and movies, though Second Best surprisingly makes his stage debut. His talents as an actor are played to the best of their abilities on stage in a debut that isn’t just accomplished, it is nothing short of exceptional. Through the slow-burning nature of the story, Butterfield proves to be a master storyteller, teasing little nuggets of the depths and darkness of Martin’s history and mind, but never giving away too much until the inevitable explosion. Showcasing versatility and stamina, Butterfield remains a captivating force through the non-stop 80 minute play, bringing the audience in with his captivating nature and showcasing an authenticity and emotive nature in his performance that makes the story feel even more moving and poignant.
The strength of Butterfield’s performance really cannot be understated –mesmerising and unflinching, he brings the story to life perfectly . As Second Best contains conflicting themes with a use of comedy paving way to some more disturbing moments, Butterfield doesn’t miss a beat jumping from one to another in a performance that ranges from charming to harrowing, often within mere moments of each other. His range and talents as an actor are clear to see, with his own career in TV and film almost allowing for a blurred line between fiction and reality as it becomes easy to forget this isn’t actually a true story and neither Martin nor Asa Butterfield came second to play Harry Potter.
“How powerful could a play about almost playing Harry Potter possibly be?” was the throwaway thought that entered my brain upon entering the theatre. Turns out, I had no idea the world of emotion and vulnerability that awaited me. Full of riches, Second Best surprised me at every turn with a deliberate slow-burn planting seeds for the ultimate payoff. Its incredible writing and direction is matched by a truly outstanding turn by Asa Butterfield, leading to a play that is theatre magic at its very best. Embodying the phrase “Slow and steady wins the race”, there is nothing second best about this play that eventually comes out on top.
Second Best plays at Riverside Studios until 22nd February. Tickets available here
Photos by Hugo Glendinning