Review Roundup: SECOND BEST Opens at Riverside Studios

Asa Butterfield is making his theatrical debut in the comedy-drama Second Best, directed by Michael Longhurst and written by Barney Norris. The engagement plays a strictly limited run until Saturday 22 February. G

At ten years old, Martin Hill was on the brink of stardom, down to the final two contenders for the role of Harry Potter but narrowly missing out. Now an adult, Martin is about to embark on the ultimate adventure – fatherhood. As he navigates this whirlwind of emotions, he is pulled back to that pivotal moment in his past as he struggles to move beyond imagining what his life might have been.

Second Best is a playful yet poignant new comedy about fate, near misses and the winding paths life takes. It explores the ache of almost touching greatness and the humour and hope that come when dreams remain just out of reach. A story about the tender moments that shape us, Second Best is for anyone who has ever wondered about the road not taken, and whether the other life would have been as glittering as it looks. See what the critics are saying...

Ryan Gilbey , The Guardian: Making his stage debut, Sex Education’s Asa Butterfield whooshes the action along, moving economically between characters (his switch to playing Martin’s stepfather is all in the shoulders) and exuding a charm that is never ingratiating. Indeed, there is real finesse in his ability to inhabit a man who is in need without seeming needy. Parts of this one-person play could be fortified and fleshed-out, but no one could apply its title to his performance.

Philip for Theatre & Tonic, Theatre & Tonic: Asa Butterfield of Sex Education fame makes his stage debut in Second Best and he is undoubtedly a very good actor. He does well with the material he is given to try and connect with his audience. An acclaimed screen actor, he occasionally struggled to keep fully embodied in his character which is a hard job for anyone as the only actor on stage for 90 minutes straight through. Not once does he leave the stage. One person performances are the greatest challenge an actor can face but Butterfield was warm and likeable yet seemed occasionally disconnected from the material itself. For me ultimately this production was just somewhat lacking. It needed more life and light especially for a comedy. Perhaps however watching a character grapple with mental health while finding hope and meaning in life was rather the point.

Aliya Al-Hassan, London Theatre: Asa Butterfield came to fame as Otis in Netflix’s Sex Education and will be a huge draw for many. He makes a highly assured stage debut here. It’s quite the task to hold an audience’s attention alone for 90 minutes straight-through. However, Butterfield is convincing and compelling as both Martin and his imitations of a variety of other characters, such as an overbearing film producer and his mother’s bullying boyfriend. Butterfield really inhabits the role; he is both very likeable and hugely vulnerable.

Clive Davis, The Times: Barney Norris’s script — based on a novella by the French writer David Foenkinos — explores obsessive thoughts about the road not taken. Butterfield, better known as the awkward Otis Milburn in the TV series, is very assured, pacing back and forth on a glossy white letterbox set strewn with odd items of furniture and bric-a-brac, including a video camera on which he reprises his first, fateful audition. Imagine an innocent ten-year-old being asked to switch between looking vulnerable, hopeful and cheerful in seconds.

Michael Sidhu, RadioTimes: Asa Butterfield has been in many things in his life so far, playing many characters. It’s evident he’s an excellent actor, but Second Best may be one of his greatest performances so far. This is an 80-minute story you don’t want to miss out on.

Average Rating: 74.0%