West End Theatre Gets A Western
“Vengeance isn’t natural – it isn’t something that happens in nature.”
Amy Fowler
For a play to succeed, the first requirement is the suspension of disbelief. In the case of High Noon we have to believe that we are in the Wild West in the nineteenth century. There are those dusty streets, bars and horses tied up outside and people walking with spurs on their boots. Tim Hatley has given us a wooden boarded stage with gaps between the slats giving light and shade possibilities with pretty lines of shadow. No, there are no WANTED posters or any other wall decoration. A large clock shows the time in real time moving towards midday or high noon.
The star attractions are Billy Crudup as the resigning Marshall Will Kane who is giving up his law job to marry the other star attraction, Amy Fowler played by Denise Gough. They have just got married, enjoyed a celebratory line dancing hoedown when the bad news comes in. A man who should have been sentenced to death has been released from prison and pardonned. Frank Miller (James Doherty) has his brother and associates assembling in the town waiting for him to arrive on the noon day train. It was Will Kane who arrested him originally.
When the film premiered in 1952, its political message was very thinly disguised. It is about standing up for what is right, even if you are the only one prepared to do so. Will Kane tries to recruit Deputies in the face of the imminent threat but men hide behind their wives, back away or find other reasons for refusing. The issue is that Kane has resigned and a new Marshalf is on his way but not soon enough, leaving the town undefended. The current deputy Harvey Pell (Billy Howle) wants Kane to endorse him as Marshall but they argue and Pell throws in his badge.
There are two main women in this play. Amy Fowler is a widow, turned Quaker after members of her family were shot dead and Helen Ramirez (Rosa Salazar) who has owned the bar and been the girlfriend of Frank Miller, Will Kane and currently Harvey Pell. There is an interesting contrast between these two women, one the faithful, peace loving wife and the other living on her wits and sex appeal. As Will Kane decides to face up to Frank Miller, Amy decides to catch the same train to St Louis away from him.
The performances are sound but it is a very wordy piece without Western visuals but there are snatches of songs, a longer one for Amy Fowler which is successful but this is a play with music and not a musical. Billy Crudup is interesting but his failure as Will Kane to recruit deputies doesn’t add to his charisma. Denise Gough is the one to make the journey in this play as she embodies the conflict between Quaker and loyal wife. Overall, this production is disappointing. The play ending is different to the film which you can discuss why.
Editor of TheatreVibe.co.uk
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Production Notes
High Noon
Written by Eric Roth
Directed by Thea Sharrock
Cast
Starring:
Denise Gough
Joshua Hill
Billy Howle
James Doherty
Jonah Russell
Rebecca Lee
Simon Chandler
Tim Steed
Billy Crudup
Rosa Salazar
Misha Handley
Creatives
Director: Thea Sharrock
Designer: Tim Hatley
Lighting Designer: Neil Austin
Fight Director: Kate Waters
Composer: Chris Egan
Choreographer and Movement: Lizzi Gee
Sound Director: Nick Lister
Information
Running Time: One hour 45 minutes
Booking to 6th March 2026
Theatre:
Harold Pinter
Panton Street
London SW1Y 4SW
Tube : Piccadilly Circus
Telephone: 03330 096 690
Website: haroldpintertheatre.co.uk
Reviewed by Lizzie Loveridge at the Harold Pinter Theatre
on 12th January 2026