Second Best
Closing: February 22, 2025Second Best - 2025 West End History , Info & More
Riverside Studios
Hammersmith London
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 struggled 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.
Starring Asa Butterfield (Netflix’s Sex Education) in his stage debut, written by Barney Norris, based on David Foenkinos’ best-selling novel and directed by Michael Longhurst.
__Assisted Perfromances:__
Captioned: 18 February, 8pm
Second Best - 2025 - West End Cast
FEATURED REVIEWS FOR Second Best
Second Best, Riverside Studios Review
6 / 10
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.
Second Best review – Asa Butterfield is first-class as Harry Potter runner-up
7 / 10
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.
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by Chloe Rabinowitz - February 5, 2025
Second Best, starring Asa Butterfield, will present an extra week of performances at the Riverside Studios. Learn more about the show and see how to purchase tickets.
by Amber-Rae Stobbs - February 4, 2025
The human psyche is something so easily disturbed, and Barney Norris’s newest play-adaptation is a prime example of that. Based on the novel by David Foenkinos, Second Best tells of Martin Hill - the boy who felt he never fully lived.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - February 4, 2025
Asa Butterfield is making his theatrical debut in the comedy-drama Second Best, directed by Michael Longhurst and written by Barney Norris. See what the critics are saying and read the reviews.
by Chloe Rabinowitz - January 30, 2025
Asa Butterfield is making his theatrical debut in the comedy-drama Second Best, directed by Michael Longhurst and written by Barney Norris. Get a first look at photos here!
by Chloe Rabinowitz - January 21, 2025
Opening at the Riverside Studios this Friday (24 January), Asa Butterfield will swap the small and silver screens for the stage, as he makes his theatrical debut in the comedy-drama Second Best. See rehearsal photos and videos here!
Second Best History
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