Self Immolating Sixties
“I, am going to dropout, after I graduate.”
Anson
It is sometimes said a play is in two halves. This is certainly true of this revival of Teeth ‘n’ Smiles, David Hare’s 50 year old play written in 1975, six years after it was set. The first act takes place mainly in the marquee of the Cambridge University May Ball in 1969, but not the second as the marquee was burnt down in the first Act.
The play centres on the heavy rock band The Skins. fronted by the excellent Rebecca Lucy Taylor, AKA Self Esteem as Maggie Frisby. This is, in part, a period piece. In 1969 the 60s were drawing to a close; drugs like Acid (LSD) were out of favour due to casualties like Syd Barrett, lead vocalist and composer of Pink Floyd. Punk was yet to come and music usually was from heavy rock bands, with the amplifiers turned up to 11 and singers shouting garbled phrases, as the ultimate truths.
The Cambridge student organiser Anson (Roman Asde ) in a dinner jacket with large curly hair, is trying to get the band on stage as they are fashionably late: a forlorn hope. The Skins are a five piece band including their roadie, Inch (Noah Weatherby) on guitar, bassist Peyote (Jojo Macari), guitar Arthur (Michael Fox), keyboardist Wilson (Michael Abubakar), and drummer Nash (Bill Caple). They can play – loudly.
The lead singer Maggie Frisby (Rebecca Lucy Taylor) is a burnout drug user now an alcoholic. She has to be carried onto the stage at the start and is assumed to be dead at the end of the set. The stage is a movable dais with lights to the audience, above the performers and below, a very typical staging of the time by Designer Chloe Lamford .
The first Act is just a chaotic mess, all the band are on drugs, one even main lining on stage, bottles of whisky are lined up for Maggie and there is very little attempt at a story except a drugs bust and a large fire. I did notice a few empty seats in Act two. This was a shame as there is a story mostly about Maggie told by the band’s manager Saraffian (Phil Daniels) who acts to his strengths, but doesn’t have a scooter. The conclusion is in some ways hopeful, the band packs up and moves onto the next gig whilst lining up the next supply of drugs, Maggie goes on a different track. Directed by Daniel Raggett the play runs for 2 hours 20 minutes including interval.
I can see why this play has had limited performances over the years, it is very much a period piece of a short time now long gone. The First Act is just loud the second more structured, the stand out is Rebbeca Lucy Tailor and that maybe enough to justify purchasing a ticket.
Production Notes
Teeth ‘n’ Smiles
Written by David Hare
Composer: Rebecca Lucy Taylor, Nick Bicât
Lyricist: Rebecca Lucy Taylor, Tony Bicât
Directed by Justin Martin
Cast
Starring:
Rebecca Lucy Taylor
Phil Daniels
Aysha Kala
Bill Caple
Christopher Patrick Nolan
Jojo Macro
Michael Abubakar
Michael Fox
Samuel Jordan
Roman Asde
Noah Weatherby
Joseph Evans
Creatives
Director: Daniel Raggett
Set Designer: Chloe Lamford
Costume Designer: Alex Mullins
Lighting Designer: Matt Daw
Fight Director: Kev McCurdy, Sam Lyon-Behan
Musical Supervisor: Liam Godwin
Sound Director: Ben and Max Ringham
Information
Running Time: Two hours 20 minutes including an interval
Booking to 6th June 2026
Theatre:
Duke of York’s Theatre
104 St Martin’s Lane
London WC2N 4BG
Phone: 03330 096 690
Website: https://www.thedukeofyorks.com
Tube: Charing Cross
Reviewed by Malcolm Beckett
Duke of York’s Theatre on 31st March 2026
