Tudor Players’ The Unfriend – 10 February 2026, Sheffield Library Theatre
Review by Claire Taranaski.
Steven Moffat’s The Unfriend broke box office records in the West End and Tudor Players production deserves the same with the company, who have a great reputation for performing comedy plays on stage, bringing a top notch production, which reminds audience members why you should never invite friends you made on holiday to stay, to Sheffield for five nights only.
Ross Bannister has a talent for comedic theatrical performances and his performance as Peter Lindel is no different. He has incredible stage presence, chemistry with his co-stars and comic timing and made the frustrated, loves to be angry husband his own. In a role which was originally performed by Reece Shearsmith and then by Lee Mack, Ross’s performance would be on par with theirs and his scene that leads to him having a mini breakdown over a toilet brush was comedic gold. Outshining even Ross’s performance, was that of Joanne Ringrose as unwanted house guest Elsa Jean Krakowski, maintaining a perfect Denver accent throughout and clearly relishing playing the role, Joanne displayed so much charisma and talent that her ability to charm and manipulate those around her was completely understandable.
Fran Rooker’s as Peter’s wife Debbie was, like all the cast, also superb, capturing the up tightness of a mum who just wants to protect her family, with her “Murder Poppins” monologue as the start of act two being another stand out. Sean Fagan and Rhiannon Smith-Jones as the couple’s teenage children Alex and Rosie captured perfectly the pain of adolescent and the need to be both your teenage self, whilst still wanting to be loved and understood by those around you, without falling into Harry Enfield’s Kevin stereotypes.
Although never memorable for Peter, John Fereday as the, apparently boring and easy to forget, neighbour reminded me of actor Trevor Peacock and showed a real talent for staying still on set, leading to him getting the literally the last laugh and having to do the encore with cake on his face, whilst getting the sympathy of the audience and portraying the need to just want to be part of people’s lives. The last cast member to mention is Justin Harrison as PC Junkin, who delivered the type of daft police officer you will only find in a British sitcom and reacted exactly how anyone would if a stranger wanted to examine the contents of your bowel movements.
There is a history in sitcoms of unseen characters and this is also brought wonderfully to life in this production, whether Elsa’s wonderful descriptions of the other friend she made on the cruise Barnaby to the neighbour’s wife Joan by the neighbour (who I imagine in the same way as Captain Mainwaring’s wife in Dad’s Army). Seen as images but not heard, I must also mention the Tudor Players members who appeared as victim photos on “True Crime Denver”, I hope they are all ok and live to appear in future Tudor Players productions.
My favourite scene in the whole play was in act one, where Peter and Debbie confirmed why you should never try to rehearse life and when to stop digging a hole and Elsa was at her manipulative best and confirmed why you should never mess with a middle aged woman in a purple velvet leisure suit. This scene also showcased director Phil Gascoyne’s talent for comedy directing, getting the best out of the cast and script, him and Hansel’s D’Roza’s clever set design of the Lindel’s London family home and Rachel Jex and the company for costumes, with special costume mention also to Elsa’s act two kafton and Alex’s sportwear.
Tudor Players latest production should not be missed by fans of high quality comedy theatre and those who need a reminder of Steven Moffatt’s talent for hilarious comedy writing, even if you will never be able to listen to “You’ve Got A Friend In Me” in the same way again.
