'Brilliant But Brutal' Rika's Rooms at the Tabard
Nick Hennegan impressed by Gail Louw's take on her mother's eventful life
Emma Wilkinson Wright delivers a powerful performance
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July 5, 2026
Rika’s Rooms is a solo show written by Gail Louw, based on her novel of the same name and inspired by the true story of her mother’s life.
And what a life it is! Rika is now 76 years old and living with Dementia. Her current life in England makes no sense at all to her and is confusing and even occasionally violent. But through her memories we revisit the various ‘rooms' of her life and the vivid, poignant high emotions of this ordinary woman - from her youth in Nazi Germany, through Kibbutz life in Palestine, where she ends up being drawn in as a ‘freedom fighter’ against British Rule, through to Apartheid South Africa and then to London, England. Along the way she experiences love, lust and losses. And the whole mix is a theatrical tour de force!
Chief among the attractions of the production is the solo performer, Emma Wilkinson Wright. Her physicality and vocal definition is perfect and we have little trouble identifying the vast range of characters she portrays. The precise direction by Anthony Shrubsall means the performance is never too ‘showy’ and again completely believable. The set is deceptively simple too but extremely effective at transporting us through her rooms in different times and continents. And Simon Beyer’s lighting and sound design brilliantly and subtly underpins the action and locations.
Rika’s Rooms sadly speaks to a number of modern and contemporary issues still relevant in the world today and if there is one criticism it perhaps tries to include too much of the issues of her life, although the second act redress this somewhat and is more linear. But that’s a niggle. And a young friend I was with who has worked with dementia sufferers noted how it is very unusual to ever see the perspectives of a suffer.
So make sure you join Rika in Her Rooms at the Tabard. It’s funny and heartbreaking. You will have no regrets for the rest of your life.
Nick Hennegan
The play runs from 1 July to 25 July.
Online booking is available at the theatre’s website.
Tabard Theatre is at 2 Bath Road, W4 1LW just next to Turnham Green tube station.
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