# Jennifer Saunders leads Edward Bond’s revived The Sea on consumerism and suffering

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-sea-review-jennifer-saunders-takes-fussing-over-buying-curtains-to-shakespearean-levels/
- Published: 2026-10-29T13:00:36+00:00
- Updated: 2026-10-29T13:37:44+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2026/oct/29/the-sea-review-theatre-royal-bath-jennifer-saunders-shakespearean-curtains
- Topics: Business, Culture, Markets

## Key points

- Jennifer Saunders brings comic pomposity to Mrs Rafi.
- Edward Bond’s play balances consumerism, tragedy and comedy.
- The revival closes with a tentative note of hope.

## Summary

Edward Bond’s play *The Sea* has returned in its first major revival in almost 20 years, with Jennifer Saunders playing the self-important Mrs Rafi. Jonathan Munby’s production uses the contrast between a sailor fighting for his life and Mrs Rafi fretting over curtains to explore how consumerism and social rituals can distract people from suffering.

Set in a seaside village in 1907, the play also follows reclusive Evens and the aftermath of sailor Colin’s death, which leaves his friend Willy and fiancée Rose grieving and directionless. Saunders brings pompous comedy that gives way to melancholy reflection, while the production ends on a tentative note of hope and human resilience.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.