THEATRE REVIEWS
EVA ARDSLEY in FOR SERVICES RENDERED, Jermyn St Theatre London, West End 2019
Rachel Pickup is terrific as the angry, anguished, desperate, pent-up Eva. She pleads, reasons and tries to flirt with Annan’s character. Eventually when things have gone seriously wrong, Eva loses control and Pickup gives us a masterclass in onstage hysteria – not easy when the audience is televisually close but she handles it magnificently. Susan Elkin Sardines Review
SARAH MACINTYRE in INTELLIGENCE, New York Theatre Workshop 2019
Ms. Pickup is wonderfully charismatic, Jesse Greene New York TImes
Margaret O'Donnell in The Home Place, Irish Rep NYC
"The cast of eleven is led by Pickup, [who] after a series of emotional scenes, and with the help of exquisitely modulated lighting and sound, takes the play to a dénouement of surpassing beauty." The New Yorker
"The tall and slender British actress Rachel Pickup, as Margaret, offers the most convincing performance, bringing warmth, intelligence, and strength to the role." The Leiter Side
"The cast, lead by the splendidly elegant Rachel Pickup, is outstanding." Front Row Center Holli Harms
"A staging of hushed grace and delicacy, one that I wish Friel had lived to see... it feels as though the play is not being acted but is merely happening...To see it is to come away certain that 'The Home Place' is one of Friel’s half-dozen masterpieces." Terry Teachout WSJ
Portia in MERCHANT OF VENICE for SHAKESPEARE'S GLOBE THEATRE, directed by Jonathan Munby, starring Jonathan Pryce Shakespeare's Globe, London, Lincoln Centre Festival NYC and World tour)
Telegraph
"Portia herself is lent a dazzling brightness by Rachel Pickup"
Dominic Cavendish
The Observer
"Rachel Pickup’s Portia is exquisitely accomplished "
Kate Kellaway
The Guardian
"Rachel Pickup’s Portia is a headstrong woman so smitten with Bassanio that she has to be strongly restrained from steering him to the right casket: that leads Portia to a corresponding disillusion when she realises that Bassanio prizes his duty to Antonio above his love for her."
Michael Billington
Hollywood Reporter"...
"the articulate Portia, imbued here by Pickup with pep and spiky intelligence."
Leslie Felperin
Time Out
"Rachel Pickup is a sharp and witty Portia." Tom Wicker
"Portia [is] a willowy, febrile, elegantly expressed [by] Rachel Pickup." Whatsonstage, Michael Coveney
"Munby has a first-rate cast performing for him and throughout keeps the disdain for Jews prominent. He even goes so far as to portray the wise Portia (willowy, beautiful Rachel Pickup) demonstrating off-handed regard for Shylock’s daughter Jessica'" Huff Post David Finkle
"As the play's heroine Portia, Rachel Pickup creates a dignified portrayal of a resourceful woman whose quick thinking (and brave gender illusions) ultimately save the day in court"
Daily Herald
Amanda in Private Lives for HARTFORD STAGE, directed by Darko Tresnjak:
The New York Times:
“Shiny, new, perfectly polished production! ...Darko Tresnjak’s spirited, lighthearted direction here may be even more fun than his work on Gentleman’s Guide.
The Examiner:
The evening attempts to convey the breezy sophistication of the upper class English of the 1930’s, which it does mostly through Alexander Dodge’s gorgeous period set design, Joshua Pearson’s fashionable costumes and the wondrous Rachel Pickup’s marvelous turn as Amanda Prynne, the female half of the play’s central couple. Pickup exudes a stylish elegance that befits her outfits as well as a charming intelligence that allows Coward’s bon mots to float gently if not acerbically off her tongue.
”WPKN Radio:
“Breathless enthusiasm and unbridled energy! Rachel Pickup, in particular, has the flair, glamour and acid wit of classic Coward femme fatales.”
The Westfield News:
“Hartford Stage kicks off the new year with a brilliantly stylish production, and it’s a feast for the ears and the eyes.”“The Hartford Stage performances are terrific! Brisk, biting and fun!”
Goneril in King Lear for Theater For A New Audience, starring Michael Pennington. Directed by Arin Arbus.
NEW YORK TIMES
"This production is unusually strong in suggesting the dysfunctional dynamics that operate among Lear’s daughters. The elder two, Goneril and Regan (Rachel Pickup and Bianca Amato, both superb), seem steeped in a history of sibling squabbles and power games. For once, I believed that they, along with Ms. Englert’s youthfully severe Cordelia, were truly blood-bound."
Ben Brantley
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/28/theater/king-lear-with-michael-pennington-opens-in-brooklyn.html
TIME OUT NEW YORK
"Of particular interest are the three unloved children responsible for the devastation: Lear’s daughters Goneril and Regan (the splendid Rachel Pickup and Bianca Amato), and Edmund (Chandler Williams), the bastard son of Gloucester (Christopher McCann).
Diane Snyder
PRIVATE LIVES for HARTFORD STAGE, directed by Darko Tresnjak:
The New York Times:
“Shiny, new, perfectly polished production! ...Darko Tresnjak’s spirited, lighthearted direction here may be even more fun than his work on Gentleman’s Guide.
The Examiner:
The evening attempts to convey the breezy sophistication of the upper class English of the 1930’s, which it does mostly through Alexander Dodge’s gorgeous period set design, Joshua Pearson’s fashionable costumes and the wondrous Rachel Pickup’s marvelous turn as Amanda Prynne, the female half of the play’s central couple. Pickup exudes a stylish elegance that befits her outfits as well as a charming intelligence that allows Coward’s bon mots to float gently if not acerbically off her tongue.
OnStage
The delight of Coward is always in the language and director Darko Tresnjak paces the piece flawlessly, allowing the audience to sample Coward’s words like a fine dessert. This is by far his best work during his time at Hartford Stage. His cast is fierce and crisp. Ken Barnett is suitably cool, sophisticated, foppish and acid-tongued as Elyot, while Rachel Pickup balances posturing elegance and delicious seduction with slapstick. Despite their characters’ narcissism, cruelty and infantile tiffs, Barnett and Pickup manage to make them charming and sympathetic.
”WPKN Radio:
“Breathless enthusiasm and unbridled energy! Rachel Pickup, in particular, has the flair, glamour and acid wit of classic Coward femme fatales.”
The Westfield News:
“Hartford Stage kicks off the new year with a brilliantly stylish production, and it’s a feast for the ears and the eyes.”“The Hartford Stage performances are terrific! Brisk, biting and fun!”
KING LEAR
Theatre For A New Audience
Dir Arin ArbusThe elder two, Goneril and Regan (Rachel Pickup and Bianca Amato, both superb), seem steeped in a history of sibling squabbles and power games. For once, I believed that they, along with Ms. Englert’s youthfully severe Cordelia, were truly blood-bound.
New York Times Ben Brantley
Director Arin Arbus has assembled a fine ensemble. As firstborn sister, Goneril, Rachel Pickup has a raspy voice that’s barbed with evil.
New York Daily News, J D Ziemianowicz
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music-arts/king-lear-theater-review-article-1.1735760#ixzz37BCv58KL
Of particular interest are the three unloved children responsible for the devastation: Lear’s daughters Goneril and Regan (the splendid Rachel Pickup and Bianca Amato)
Time Out NY, Diane Snyder
TWELFTH NIGHT
"Olivia, played by the singular beauty Rachel Pickup. In the true spirit of the romantic lead, her Olivia graces the stage with eloquence, remaining oblivious to the shenanigans that her love-at-first-sight induces…this production of ‘Twelfth Night’ is a wonder and something not to be missed...a tale as timeless as the laughter it induces."
MD Theater Guide, Robert Michael Oliver
'AIRSWIMMING'
Persephone, (Pickup), the newcomer, is a delicate, confused creature who believes she is being released any day now, to make her society debut at the Dorchester in London. It is impressively acted, poignant, intelligent and at times wickedly funny.
Anita Gates, New York Times
Persephone (Pickup, charismatic), and Dora putter around, supporting each other and singing songs to pass the time (Pickup does a spot-on impression of Doris Day). The moments of real sadness are luminously performed by Pickup.
Jenna Scherer Time out
It is Jones' first play, a humdinger of a vehicle for the two fine actors — Aedin Moloney and Rachel Pickup — who remain an empowering and constant presence throughout. I was particularly pleased to see the tall, willowy, almost ethereally graceful Pickup, whom I remember also for her outstanding performance in Handicapped People In Their Formal Attire at Premiere Stages in New Jersey, create another unforgettable character.
Simon Saltzman Curtainup.com
Rachel Pickup mesmerizes as Persephone, with exuberant energy she provides great range and depth to her character. Her humanizing performance draws the viewer into her story by allowing you to share in her joy and pain. There is a distinct and visible difference between institutionalized Persephone and liberated Porph, which provides much of the content and weight for the play. Miss Pickup manages to depict a childlike Porph who develops into a mature Persephone.
Giovanna Phillipeaux Edgenewyork.com
Pickup, by contrast, is a girly and wide-eyed Persephone whose character has the most marked difference between her "normal" self and alter ego. That Doris Day wig, which transforms her into Porph, makes all the difference between an uptight daughter of the aristocracy and a happy-go-lucky Calamity Jane who just can't stop singing and smiling.
Zachary Stewart Theatermania.com
Director John Keating has created a remarkably sensitive ambience, with Moloney, with her curt masculinity, and Pickup, the picture of femininity and vulnerability, appearing ideal for their roles. One could not imagine better.
Diana Barth - The Epoch Times
Persephone looks like a wounded swan, a princess in a fairytale. Pickup's Persephone , (beautiful), appeals to the heart, then copes with an awful reality by swimming into a lunacy that is close to the pools of madness. She's high-spirited, and stronger than even she realizes. This is the best outing yet from Fallen Angel Theatre Company.
Gwen Orel, New York Irish Arts
'HANDICAPPED PEOPLE IN THEIR FORMAL ATTIRE'
'Agnes (Rachel Pickup), a woman in her 30s who has cerebral palsy ... is elegantly dressed in a coral evening gown, [sitting] regally in a wheelchair as if it were a throne, graciously accepting recognition for being so successful in spite of her severe physical challenges, Ms. Pickup gives her ever-smiling Agnes a luminous appearance and a steely edge.'
Michael Sommers , New York Times
Rachel Pickup, who has had a most successful career on major British stages and, to our good fortune, moved to New York a year ago, performs with extraordinarily verisimilitude and control as Agnes. Pickup never seeks our easy sympathy as she displays tensile strength and complexity of character without straying an iota from Agnes' physical reality. It is a performance that theatre lovers will cherish.'
Raymond, Agnes' romantic soul mate.
Bob Rendell - Talking Broadway
'What a treat is was to see Pickup on the stage again after enjoying her performance last season in the Irish Repertory’s splendid revival of Dancing At Lughnasa. She is marvelous as Agnes, who, despite her twisted arms and legs, is an unapologetic fighter to the finish.Her dance, (in a wheelchair) with Raymond is a particularly lovely climactic moment.
Simon Saltzman , CurtainUp
'DANCING AT LUGHNASA'
Five accomplished actresses bring vibrant life to the unmarriageable Mundy sisters ... full of melancholy, frustration, romantic longing, repressed primal urges.
David Rooney - New York Times
Director Charlotte Moore has assembled a first-rate cast and guides her actors to sensitive and distinctive performances.
Joe Dziemianowicz - New York Daily News
The plain and quiet Agnes (Rachel Pickup who manages to convey that plainness even though she's quite lovely)
Elyse Sommer - Curtain Up
'The pretty and vivacious Agnes (Rachel Pickup).'
'MISS JULIE'
'Into this below stairs arena steps Rachel Pickup as the aristocratic figure of a still youthful Miss Julie, her embraceable waist emphasised by a close-hugging corset worn over a long dress, looking for a bit of midsummer rough with her father’s steward. She humiliates Jean, not with the usual boots and riding crop, but with a dazzling display of feminine self-assurance that can also drive a man mad. Then once the sexual deed has been done, stage left, she becomes a terrified teenager reduced to craven submission and the course of events - while briefly reverting to schoolgirl enthusiasm at the prospect of life as a hotel queen. This marvellous switchback of emotions makes Pickup the most telling, most compelling Julie I can recall.'
John Thaxter - The Stage
Rachel Pickup as the unstable Miss Julie and Daniel Betts as the contained, cruel but also subservient valet give performances that lucidly penetrate the play’s dark and feverish heart ... 80 minutes of intense gloom is undercut with cruel laughter and lust ... one has no doubt as to why orgasm was once known as the “little death".
Charles Spencer - The Telegraph
Rachel Pickup and Daniel Betts vividly convey the characters' post-coital guilt and recrimination. The dust is swept off an old play through the violent intensity of the acting.
Michael Billington - The Guardian
'THE THREE SISTERS'
Rachel Pickup's Irina begins to glow, serious and wistful.
Sunday Times
Rachel Pickup is a glamorous, spirited Irina: it's some provincial post office that has her behind the counter.
Independent On Sunday
Susan Wooldridge, Felicity Dean and Rachel Pickup are each divine in their own way as the three sisters.
In fact, Bill Bryden's Three Sisters turns out to be one of the finest Chekhov productions I have seen; slow but continually absorbing, subtly responsive to the changing moods of the play, and full of illuminating detail. In Rachel Pickup ‘s Irina, you can almost see the bloom of youth fading from her as the play progresses.
TELEGRAPH
'KING LEAR'
It was a strong cast, and I particularly liked Rachel Pickup's hard-edged Cordelia
Rachel Pickup is a serene Cordelia, full of so much grace and goodness that you just wish for once she could escape her inevitable demise.
Whatsonstage.com
'THE 39 STEPS'
Patrick Barlow has continued the honourable tradition of mucking around with Buchan's original, keeping the love interest, elegantly played by Rachel Pickup, and adding a whirligig of self-conscious theatrical effects in a production where four actors evoke everyone from lingerie salesmen to a housekeeper who screams like a steam-train.
Time Out London
Which brings me neatly on to Rachel Pickup. Every inch the dangerous woman – and there are many inches of her - she throws herself into the parts with a vibrant aplomb as she matches her co-stars' comedy rhythms beat for beat
It is to Hitchcock also that we owe the film presence of Miss Carroll and, today praise be, that of the lovely, leggy Miss Pickup who ranges easily from dusky spy Annabella to Pamela and to Margaret. Otherwise, we recall, Hannay would have had no real pal to go about with!