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A Tulip Extravaganza in The Loft

  • Writer: Ann Cee
    Ann Cee
  • 6 hours ago
  • 2 min read
L-R: Laura Smith, Craig Shelton, Lucinda Toomey. Photo by Richard Smith Photography.
L-R: Laura Smith, Craig Shelton, Lucinda Toomey. Photo by Richard Smith Photography.

The Just Price of Flowers from Tuesday 22 April to Saturday 26 April 2025 at The Loft Theatre Company, Leamington Spa.

Review by Ann Cee.


Last night, The Loft’s super cast of seven created the excitement and then the stress of the tulip speculation in 17th Century Netherlands and connected it to our 2008 financial crash – it seems we have learned little about money and markets over several hundred years. 


You might be forgiven for thinking this is a dry topic for a Tuesday night out but not the way the Loft told it.  The play expertly simplifies the complex financial terms and escalations to make the injustices and ironies of the world of finance loom large and obvious, almost as though they are hidden in plain sight or that we are somehow complicit in repeating the same old mistakes again and again. 


Foreground Dave Crossfield and Craig Shelton. Photo by Richard Smith Photography.
Foreground Dave Crossfield and Craig Shelton. Photo by Richard Smith Photography.

This is a superbly clever and entertaining play with songs threaded throughout, written by James Yarker, Stan’s Café and directed at The Loft by Mark Crossley.  The production is extremely well choreographed and delivered though perhaps the flow of the narrative and the ambiance of the Netherlands were sometimes interrupted by occasional modern props and images.  I loved the Dutch style costumes, especially the collars and cuffs, and the tulips themselves were very effective.


The play was delivered in The Loft’s tiny studio in their loft so the intensity of the action was always close at hand, especially as the narrative moved towards its conclusion.


Laura Smith and Mark Crossley. Photo by Richard Smith Photography.
Laura Smith and Mark Crossley. Photo by Richard Smith Photography.

The singing and music were strong elements of this production with a well balanced range of voices in the cast.  It’s not easy to pinpoint a stand out performance because the delivery was smooth and engaging throughout and the cast operated with the strength of a true team but perhaps a special mention for Leonie Fraser as Van Hire and Laura Smith as Van Eek who had some gritty exchanges as well as wonderful charm and personality.  And my heart went out to the defeated Mrs Van Leasing (Lucinda Toomey) at the end – and may we all evade the fate of hard-working everyman, Van Driver (Mark Crossley).



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