Dear Octopus follows the dynamics of the four generations of the Randolph family, who reunite for a weekend to celebrate the golden wedding anniversary of Dora and Charles.

This production oozes charm; it’s sweet and witty yet emotionally rich. It poses questions around age, home, loss and inter-generational relationships. The main strength is in the exceptional cast; the parts seem almost tailor-made.

Most revivals are desperate to add a radical twist but the beauty of this production is that it stays true to the period. This is a great portrayal of family dynamics interwoven into a week end celebration.

Lindsay Duncan is magnificent as Dora. She is inexcusably irritating in the way she gives everyone ‘little jobs’ to do, however you cannot help but love her. Duncan brings a kindness to her that shows how greatly she adores her family, especially in a scene between her and her favourite daughter Cynthia where she shares how unconditional her love is. She is hilarious when making sniping comments towards haughty Aunt Belle (Kate Fahy), who in turn is secretly in love with her brother-in-law, Dora’s husband Charles.

Bessie Carter gives an exquisite performance as Dora’s companion and home help, the unassuming yet captivating Fenny. She has helped the family for nine years, her haven and is infatuated with Nicolas (Billy Howle), her heart is slowly breaking as she cannot rid herself of her fondness for him. Fenny goes through an amazing transformation from dull and dutiful to dizzy and desirable.

The four grown children of Dora and Charles could not be more different, yet all feel a similar shared melancholy for their return home. Amy Morgan as Margery is satisfied with life and her traditional family, Jo Herbert as Hilda is a neurotic workaholic (obsessed with flies), and Bethan Cullinane as Cynthia is stoic and secretive, having not returned home for seven years. Howle plays charming Nicholas (now the only boy) as forever the ‘bachelor’. A scene when the siblings set the table and gang up against Edna shows the strong family bond. Dharmesh Patel is amusing as Margery’s wayward husband Kenneth as he is ordered to flirt with Fenny for the evening.

The older generation constantly reminisce about their childhood whilst the young children breathe fresh youthfulness and vibrancy back into the house. Serena Guo gives a beautiful performance as nervous and inquisitive Scrap, a young girl who is desperate to learn about her deceased mother Nora, who died two years before; through this, a heartwarming relationship unfolds with Cynthia (her mother’s twin) as they find similarities in their shared feeling of ‘emptiness’. Tarun Sivakaneth is cheeky and wilful as Bill, who keeps the audience chuckling with his naughty remarks, and Kalyani D’Ambra is just as entertaining as his vain sister Flouncy.

Emily Burns’ direction helps you feel like you know the family inside out and care about their happiness deeply. She creates the best possible revival there could be for a play this dated. (We’d recommend watching the family tree video surrounding the Randolph family by the National Theatre as this family is complex!)

Frankie Bradshaw’s set design perfectly expresses the essence of the cherished, aging country house, the costumes blend in with the grey-green hues of the walls, enhancing the family’s sense of belonging. The house is described as ‘being the same as it always has been’ despite ‘a few cracks in the wallpaper’, which is exactly what Dora states when talking about who you are as a person. The sets come alive wonderfully with real fires and the subtle gas lighting devised by lighting designer Oliver Fenwick are faithful to the late 1930’s period timeline.

The superb revolving stage is extremely effective and essential in creating the buzz around the household of such a large family gathering, the constant transitions as it revolves, revealing intimate exchanges between clandestine characters as if secretly watching them all through an open window. Things continuously happen on and off stage, in plain view and behind closed doors, characters whirling in from all directions.

The beautiful dinner party ends with a natural pleasing conclusion, a joyful ending to a charming play.

Dear Octopus is a true delight and is sure to fill your heart with joy.

**** Four stars

Reviewed by: Marina Holmes Smith

Dear Octopus plays at the National Theatre until 27 March, with further information here.