Review: SPECULATIONS at Marylebone Theatre

Penned by Torben Betts and directed by Trevor Nunn, “SPECULATIONS - ON THE UNEXPLAINED DEATHS OF SEVERAL AMERICAN ICONS” felt destined to be a play steeped in theatricality and wrapped in modern American political folklore. It certainly felt — on paper at least, likely to shake and ruffle the staid consciousness around Marilyn Monroe’s association with the Kennedy brothers and the shocking and violent deaths of all three.

A similar (though stylishly inferior) attempt starring Pixie Lott earlier this year, drew universal castigation and ridicule. Unfortunately, despite several teasing interludes, the effort currently playing at the Marylebone Theatre falls remarkably flat in places as it resorts to rehashing hackneyed theories and regurgitating speculative suppositions around the circumstances and motivations of those who moved in MM’s orbit. The usual villains appear or are mentioned by association, but nothing especially new is revealed or speculatively proffered.

On a chicly realised set by Lee Newby (who also delivers the stylish costumes), three distinct scenes play-out and are interwoven by means of periodic revolves. We’re in the home of renowned journalist and “What’s My Line?” panellist, Dorothy Kilgallen (Janie Dee). Whilst working on her latest expose of the Kennedy cover-ups and Jack Ruby’s involvement with the mob, she receives a threatening phone call. When Flo Jackson a new agency childminder arrives (played by Gloria Obianyo) her interest in investigative writing becomes the unconvincing catalyst to a conversation about the inherent dangers in upsetting powerful men and challenging the established order.

Monroe (played exuberantly though unappealingly by Natalie Dunne) is confronted by former lover Robert Kennedy (Jolyon Coy) whose need to secure his former lover’s incriminating diaries leads to drastic action. Thirdly Lee Harvey Oswald (JFK’s assassin, played here by Joseph Potter) is recruited by underworld mobster Carlos Marcello (Ferdy Roberts) whose business interests had been scrutinised by the Kennedys whilst they served on the US Senate’s organised crime committee. Though largely imagined, the conversations are based on copious conspiracy theories, redacted testimonies, late-in-life confessions and witness accounts of this tumultuous period in US history. Pity then, that much of the dialogue lacks wit and pathos, leaning heavily on the actors’ efforts to imbue jeopardy into proceedings.

It looks great and everyone acquits themselves perfectly adequately, but with nothing remarkable to say, SPECULATIONS is unlikely to set the theatre world alight. The production runs 2 hours and 20 mins including interval and continues at the Marylebone Theatre until 17th January 2027.

Speculations Tickets