Chesil Theatre 
Chesil Theatre, Winchester
Mark Ponsford 
27 September 2026
A small confession. When, in 2025, I attended a performance of the much-lauded American play Stereophonic, my abiding memory, despite its virtues (which were, and are, many), remains that of the overall running time – a bum-numbing three-and-a-quarter hours. The prospect of another play set largely (though unlike Stereophonic, not entirely) in a recording studio was one I approached with a slight measure of reticence, not least that we might be covering much of the same ground.
So, I can hereby report that Joe Penhall’s Mood Music (which actually predates Stereophonic, having first appeared at the Old Vic in 2018) is a very different creature indeed, consisting of two tightly constructed acts, and down in two hours including interval. The play’s title turns out to be far more meaningful than first it may appear, and in Heather Bradford’s exquisitely directed production, there’s even a bit of false-footing regarding the pre-show jazz saxophone standards (Cole Porter, etc) played as we take our seats – this might initially seem at odds against Peter Liddiard’s excellent and richly detailed set, but that’s as it should be. All will become clear as the play progresses, and one of the virtues of the piece is that you don’t necessarily need any prior knowledge of this particular creative process, the basic corruptions within being sadly familiar in other areas far and beyond. The notion of a company member, or indeed a company as a whole, appropriating another’s work as their own, is unsettling enough in itself, but when they are confronted and challenged, an explosion of sorts becomes inevitable. I’ve seen it happen, and I doubt that I’m the only one.
Mood Music’s lineup features two colleagues, two psychotherapists and two lawyers, sufficient to prepare us for what’s going to unfold, and through a series of fairly quickfire scenes we watch them interact, sometimes sympathetically, sometimes less so. Songwriter, Cat, and Producer, Bernard, are already at sufficient loggerheads to have each acquired their own lawyer and therapist, and there’s an escalating fascination to be had as the storyline becomes ever more involved and involving. As the truly appalling Bernard, Steve Clark gives a tour-de-force of barely suppressed high energy, shamelessly sexist, cheerfully un-pc, his strength being his charisma, likely to ensnare anyone who gets too close…as young Cat already has, and Stephanie Snuggs meets every demand of this less “showy” yet equally compelling character. Both actors play off (and against) each other beautifully, not least in the final scene of Act One, and the winning of the prestigious Ivor Novello Award. It’s a toe-curling moment (intentionally so), and your heart will more than likely go out to Cat, whose eyes alone are speaking volumes. (The moment is also further testament to Jaqui Brown’s microscopic attention to detail in the show’s props, as Bernard is holding aloft a remarkable replica of the much-prized “Novello”.)
By the start of Act Two, the gloves are off, battle has truly commenced, and the lawyers and therapists become, inevitably, more involved and entangled in the proceedings – we’ve met them in the first Act, but all four get to flex their metaphorical muscles from here on in. The therapists’ respective offices are elegantly and economically suggested each side of the stage, and again, close inspection of the set detail reveals authentic-looking certificates pertaining to each of these professionals. Rhian McNaughton, as Vanessa, is the more immediately warm of the two, while Adrian White’s Ramsay maintains at times an almost clinical calm in the face of Bernard’s tirades. Both actors are turning in strong and excellent performances….and the same can be said of Tom Humphreys (Miles) and Liz Gillett (Seymour). Humphreys’ characterisation feels utterly right in his fine, considered dealings with Cat, while Liz Gillett gives a strong, sharp performance as a professional who clearly takes no nonsense from anyone – even Bernard – and who, one feels, could very easily become the HR Boss from Hell, although there are probably more than enough of those already. The ensemble of players is given first-rate support by Tony Lawther’s sound and lighting design, always one of the Chesil’s hallmarks.
As with all good theatre, this is a play to linger in the memory and provide much fodder for debate and discussion. It presents its arguments and dilemmas eloquently, it gives us much to react to throughout (including some good laughs along the way) and is a piece of contemporary drama to be recommended, not least when served with these current levels of style and flair. It’s a thoroughly entertaining evening, it runs until Saturday 3rd October, and it gets the Chesil’s 2026/27 season off to a cracking start.
