Review Gerry and Sewell

Star rating: ⭐ ⭐ ⭐

I went to see Gerry & Sewell at the Aldwych Theatre with absolutely no idea what to expect. Since I haven’t seen a lot of plays, I was genuinely excited to go and experience it.

This was my first-ever captioned performance, and I’m so happy this exists, especially since we don’t have this in Belgium. When I walked into the venue, there were black and white flags everywhere. Maybe people who already knew the story understood why they were there, but I had no clue — which honestly just made me even more curious. The set was full of little details, and the music playing before the show immediately put me in the right mood.

When the show started, we were even allowed to film the opening, which was really cool! Sadly, about ten minutes in, there was a show stop. The audience was super patient, and before we knew it, the show started again.

As you know, English isn’t my first language, so when the actors spoke with a strong accent, I was slightly panicking inside, worried I wouldn’t understand everything. It was a bit challenging at times, but thanks to the captions, I could read along whenever I missed a word. Being able to do that meant I could fully follow the story and still enjoy the humour — even when I didn’t catch everything straight away, it was genuinely funny.

Although Gerry & Sewell is not a musical, I really loved the addition of Claire, a character who wants to pursue a career in music. Following her journey added an extra layer and a really lovely touch, especially for someone like me who naturally gravitates towards musical theatre. There was also a very cute dog puppet and cat, which added so much charm and fun to the play.

The atmosphere was very different from a musical, but in a really good way. It felt more intimate and more focused on the text and performances — and it completely worked.

Performance-wise, Chelsea was amazing, and Dean Logan (Gerry) and Jack Robertson (Sewell) were absolutely brilliant. Their chemistry, timing, and commitment made the story engaging from start to finish.

Overall, Gerry & Sewell surprised me in the best way. It pushed me slightly out of my comfort zone, introduced me to captioned performances for the first time, and proved that even when a show isn’t your usual go-to, it can still be a really strong and enjoyable theatre experience.

Playing in the Aldwych Theatre until the 24th of January. Tickets can be found here.