Lingua Franca, Finborough Theatre

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Lingua Franca, Finborough Theatre

Peter Nichols’s follow-up to Privates on Parade, while entertaining, is not a patch on the original

by Aleks SierzFriday, 16 July 2010

Italy gives us the hots: Chris New and Natalie Walker in Peter Nichols's 'Lingua Franca'Marilyn Kingwill

While films frequently spawn sequels and prequels, theatre — with the spectacular exception of the Bard’s history plays — tends to go for one-offs. In Peter Nichols’s new play, which opened at the tiny Finborough fringe theatre last night, the main character is called Steven Flowers — and yes, those of you who are paying attention have by now correctly guessed that is a follow-up to Privates on Parade, Nichols’s hit play of 1977 (last revived at the Donmar in 2001). But as well as being a follow-up, how does this new play stand up on its own?

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