I recently saw To Kill a Mockingbird on the West End with Matthew Modine as Atticus Finch. The acting was excellent—Modine brought a quiet strength to the role, and the cast delivered across the board.
But the overall performance felt a bit overdone. Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation leaned heavily into dramatic moments, but it lacked the restraint that makes Harper Lee’s story so powerful. Instead of letting the simplicity of the original shine, it felt like the production was trying too hard to make a statement. Still, Modine’s performance alone makes it worth a watch.
👍👎
To Kill a Mockingbird
Gielgud Theatre, London
Written by Aaron Sorkin, based on Harper Lee’s novel
Directed by Bartlett Sher
Cast: Matthew Modine as Atticus Finch, Cecilia Noble as Calpurnia, et al.
Elia Kabanov is a science writer covering the past, present and future of technology (@metkere).
Illustration by Elia Kabanov feat. Midjourney.
If you like what I’m doing here, subscribe to my newsletter on all things science: