Review: INFAMOUS at The Jermyn Street Theatre, London



My review of Infamous at The Jermyn Street Theatre, on behalf of West End Best Friend: 

Emma Hamilton, born in 1765, was an iconic figure in 18th century England and, renowned for her beauty and charisma, she became the mistress of Admiral Horatio Nelson. Emma's captivating allure and social grace (including her ‘attitudes’ – Emma would strike various poses, embodying different characters and emotions, while dressed in elaborate costumes and surrounded by appropriate props and backdrops) made her a prominent figure in London society. Her life, marked by scandal and extravagance, is usually remembered because of Nelson; she doesn’t often get her own story. 

They say that history is written by the victors, which is perhaps why Emma’s story has faded into the background (not something that could ever have been said about her during her lifetime) but Infamous, written by April De Angelis and directed by Michael Oakley, allows us to see Emma herself, along with other important female figures in her life, and we can finally get an understanding of just who she was and what she did.



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