Review: Please Please Me, Kiln Theatre *** ½

Review: Please Please me, Kiln Theatre

Tom Wright’s new play, Please Please Me, offers a compassionate and measured look at Brian Epstein, the man who famously discovered the Beatles and steered them to global domination. It is a production that feels deeply aligned with the Kiln’s mission to reflect diverse voices, exploring the friction between a public legacy and a private life lived under the shadow of the law.

The production is visually striking. Tom Piper’s set design is excellent, providing a versatile backdrop that captures the industrial grit of the Mersey and the transition to international stardom. The movement of the staging is particularly creative; as the story progresses, the physical shifts build in momentum, mirroring the relentless pace of the band’s success. Complementing this are the fantastic costumes designed by Kinnetia Isidore. We see Brian Epstein’s journey through his attire, starting with the sharp, impeccably tailored suits of a young Jewish businessman and slowly shifting as the eras and his own stability begin to unravel.

In the central role, Calam Lynch gives a performance of great dignity. He captures Brian Epstein’s reserved nature perfectly, portraying a man navigating his Jewish identity and his sexuality with a quiet, heartbreaking intensity. We see him battle with his internal demons, leading to a tragic downward spiral into booze and drugs. While the play does not shy away from his ultimate death, it treats his struggle with a fairness that reminds us he was a real human individual, not just a tragic figure of history.

The versatile cast is a joy to watch as they inhabit multiple roles. Eleanor Worthington-Cox is a standout, particularly in her spirited portrayal of Cilla Black, while Noah Ritter makes an assured professional stage debut as John Lennon. Under Amit Sharma’s well paced direction, the ensemble brings the bustling energy of the music industry to life.

It is, however, a curious choice to have no Beatles music included, even as background atmosphere. For a reader unfamiliar with the specific sound that changed the world, it might leave them wondering exactly what Brian Epstein saw in the four lads from Liverpool. Furthermore, while his vices are explored, one might have wished for a little more focus on the professional skills that made him such a formidable manager. He was clearly a man of great insight and immense background knowledge. Seeing more of those professional strengths would have added even more weight to his story.

These are small points in an otherwise insightful and pleasurable evening. Please Please Me is a vital reminder of how theatre can teach us about the hidden lives behind our most famous legends. It is a moving, fair, and educational piece of work that ensures Brian Epstein’s voice is heard once more.

Please, Please, me continues at the Kiln Theatre until 16 May 2026. Tickets can be found at kilntheatre.com

DISCOUNT TICKETS AT THE Kiln:

The Kiln theatre offer discounted tickets for young people with no scheme to join. Read my guide to young person tickets here and at other theatres across London.

RUNNING TIME: 2 hours 20 minutes with interval

AGE GUIDANCE: 14+

Swearing, sexual language, homophobic slurs, anti-Semitic slurs, Nudity, Acts of violence, Sex, sex work, kink, homophobia, alcoholism, drug abuse, suicide, murder, misogyny, classism, blackmail, abortion, anti-Semitism, anti-Christianity, religion, atheism

1934: Brian Epstein is born in Liverpool into a successful retail family.
1961: Brian visits the Cavern Club for the first time and sees The Beatles perform at a lunchtime session.
1962: Brian officially becomes the band’s manager, famously insisting they trade their leather jackets for smart suits.
1962: After several rejections from other labels, Brian secures a recording contract for the band with George Martin at EMI’s Parlophone.
1963: The album Please Please Me is released, reaching number one and sparking the beginning of Beatlemania.
1964: Brian accompanies the band to America for their legendary appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show.
1967: The Sexual Offences Act is passed in England and Wales, partially decriminalising private homosexual acts between men over 21.
1967: Brian Epstein dies at the age of 32, shortly after the release of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.
2026: Please Please Me receives its world premiere at the Kiln Theatre, London.