September has kicked on in fine style with a mixture of traditional (Hedda) and modern (Three Sisters) takes on classics and wonderful Wilde (Judas). The press nights are now over so the critics review are in.

Always curious to see how their opinions compare so here's a round up:

Hedda Gabler, Old Vic

This was my first Hedda and a Brian Friel version of the play so I had nothing to compare it to.  I loved it for the story and the complexity of the protagonist, the acting and the production but not all of the critics agreed and it seems that that Friel's tweaking of the text hasn't suited everyone's taste: 

Paul Taylor, The Independent ***

"Sheridan Smith's high stake Hedda gamble hasn't paid off"

Charles Spencer, The Telegraph ****

"The productions real strength is the top flight cast led by Sheridan Smith in the title role"

Michael Billington, The Guardian ***

"That final moment, as well as Smith's accomplished performance, makes up for some of the production's textual infelicities."

Henry Hitchins, The Standard ****

"Mackmin's interpretation succeeds in feeling both Victorian and urgently modern. More than ever the play comes across as a study of a woman doomed to be a misfit. Smith’s admirable performance is its beating heart."

The Standard also allows readers to rate plays and the audience rating is *****

Michael Coveney, What's on Stage ***

"There’s a swing and facility to the script that might go better with the Irish inflections, but many of the great passages sound new-minted, and there’s a glorious elaboration of Tesman’s paean of praise to his own slippers that prefigures the burst of excitement with which he greets the discovery of the notes for Loevberg’s lost masterpiece."

The What's on Stage audience rating is ****

Rev Stan's rating 4/5 (average with other audience ratings 4.6/5)

Average critics rating 3.4/5

So one for the audiences not the critics then.