84 Charing Cross Road embraces the audience like a warm cup of tea. Upon entering the theatre (and after enjoying a complimentary drink), I was greeted with my first look at the detailed cosy set that perfectly introduced me to the atmosphere of the play. At first glance an untidy New York brownstone might not have much in common with an antique London store, however the two locations perfectly compliment each other as they have one major set dressing in common: an abundance of books. This play is a bibliophile’s dream and the set’s numerous piles of haphazardly stacked books and well stocked shelves beautifully reflect the script’s repeated references to classic and obscure literary titles.
After a few minutes of taking in the detailed set before me, actors entered and I was able to sit back and enjoy a show that I, unusually, had absolutely no prior knowledge of.
Set across two cities and two decades, 84 Charing Cross Road tells the story of a New York playwright who, after struggling to find nice copies of rare books in America, reaches out to an antique book store in London. Told entirely through letters, the play explores what becomes a very close friendship between the bookseller and the playwright.
Due to the nature of the script, essentially a large collection of monologues, this is a play that could very easily fall into the trap of being visually boring. However the emotional dedication of lead actors Helen Ellis and Andy Rigby, coupled with the stellar efforts of ensemble members Sarah Sundstrom, Stuart Daddo-Langlois, Bethany Backo, Rosemary Buchanan, Madeleine Brown and Tim Byron. The cohesion of the cast was phenomenal, from the many, many period accurate costumes to the easy nature with which they moved about the stage and the familiarity with which they interacted with each other.
Special props must be given to actress Helen Ellis who portrays wanderlust playwright Helene Hanff. Separated from her castmates by an ocean (and a wall of books), Ellis represents the New York half of the show alone, holding down a unique accent and maintaining a captivating stage presence despite having no one to interact with for the entirety of the play. The role requires a marathon of acting and Ellis performs it with apparent ease, fluidly welcoming both the bookstore and the audience into her little brownstone.
I would strongly recommend this heart tuggingly emotional, cosy little play to fans of theatre and literature alike.
To book tickets to 84 Charing Cross Road , please visit https://thebasintheatre.au/event/84-charing-cross-road-by-james-roose-evans/2026-08-09/.
Photographer: Jason Triggs
