Theatre review: Teeth ‘N’ Smiles, Duke of York’s Theatre

Teeth ‘N’ Smiles is a 50-year-old play, and unfortunately, it hasn’t aged well. The revival at the Duke of York’s Theatre features a great cast led by Rebecca Lucy Taylor, aka Self-Esteem, who give excellent performances and play top-notch music. But in 2026, David Hare’s play, which was rebellious and trailblazing when it was first performed, feels rather dated.

The play is fairly light on plot, but centres around Maggie Frisby and her band, who appear to be on a downward slide, having never quite made it to the big time. Their manager, Saraffian, brilliantly played by Phil Daniels, has booked them on a tour and the latest gig is at the 1969 Jesus College May Ball in Cambridge.

We join the band backstage, where they are entertaining themselves by trading the most boring facts they can think of. The band’s songwriter, Arthur, played by talented Michael Fox, turns up unexpectedly, and it becomes apparent that he’s there for Maggie. Unrequited love is written all over his face. Which is unfortunate for Laura (who I think was Maggie’s assistant), who clearly wants to be with him.

But Maggie is nowhere to be seen for the first 30 minutes of Teeth ‘N’ Smiles because she’s passed out after an alcohol binge. She has to be washed and dressed before the band can perform their first set at the ball. The play includes a song from each of the sets before the band retreats backstage again. Which is great, as the music is where Teeth ‘N’ Smiles excels, particularly Self-Esteem, as she’s a brilliant performer. She’s even added a new song to the original set list of the play.

But as Teeth ‘N’ Smiles goes on, it’s hard to empathise or sympathise with Maggie. She seems intent on self-destruction in a way that comes across as a bit childish. You feel like getting up and giving her a good shake! The other band members wander on and off the stage and perform well, but it all feels a bit disjointed.  Jojo Macari is the most entertaining as bass guitarist Peyote, who looks and acts like a character from Trainspotting.

So not the best play I’ve seen on the London stage this year. But if you’re a fan of Self-Esteem and are interested to see an early version of what’s now known as gig theatre, then it’s worth a look.

Teeth ‘N’ Smiles is booking at the Dukes of York’s Theatre until 4 June 20206. For more reviews of theatre, art, comedy and music, check the Arts section of my blog.