Daniel Ansell
8 Jul 2025
The Duke of York’s Theatre is set to play host to the explosive return of Teeth ‘n’ Smiles, as Wessex Grove and Gavin Kalin Productions revive David Hare’s landmark play to mark its 50th anniversary.
With an exclusive 12-week run from March 2026, this new production will be directed by Daniel Raggett and led by singer, songwriter and stage star Rebecca Lucy Taylor—known to many as Self Esteem—who makes her West End play debut in the role of Maggie Frisby.
Further casting and creative details will be announced in due course. Tickets go on general sale in October 2025, with priority booking available now via teethnsmilesplay.com.
Taylor, fresh from her acclaimed stint as Sally Bowles in Cabaret at London’s Kit Kat Club, steps into a role that blurs the lines between charisma and chaos. “It’s an honour to bring Teeth ‘n’ Smiles back for this milestone,” she shared. “I thrive on creative risks, and Maggie is a force of nature I can’t wait to unleash. Collaborating with Daniel and David on this feels electric.” Hare, whose 1975 original became a countercultural rallying cry, expressed enthusiasm for the revival: “There’s something thrilling about watching Rebecca and Daniel strip this play back to its raw nerves. It’s the perfect time to see if today’s audiences will connect with that heady mix of 70s disillusionment—music, sex, hope, despair, and all.”
Director Daniel Raggett, whose previous work includes acclaimed productions of Accidental Death of an Anarchist and Anna X, added: “I read this play over a decade ago and it’s haunted me ever since. Getting to direct it now—with Rebecca leading the charge—is a dream. This story of a band on the edge and a woman battling everything to stay alive feels more vital than ever.” Set in 1969 on the night of a university ball, Teeth ‘n’ Smiles follows washed-up rock band frontwoman Maggie Frisby as she rages against a world that’s moved on without her. Once a voice of the counterculture, Maggie is now fuelled by desperation, drink, and a refusal to go quietly. Hare’s blistering script is laced with live music, featuring songs by Nick Bicât and Tony Bicât, with new additions by Taylor herself.
Long before the likes of Debbie Harry or Courtney Love, there was Maggie Frisby—a swaggering, defiant, and emotionally charged anti-heroine whose story still resonates. Half a century since its Royal Court debut, Teeth ‘n’ Smiles is poised to rip through the West End with all the rage, rhythm, and rawness that first made it a cult classic.
Taylor, whose star continues to rise across multiple creative platforms, is also preparing for the release of her debut book A Complicated Woman on 30 October via Octopus Books/Hachette. She will mark the occasion by co-curating the London Literature Festival at the Southbank Centre on 1 November. Her musical career has seen meteoric growth following the release of her critically acclaimed albums Prioritise Pleasure and A Complicated Woman, earning accolades including an Ivor Novello Award, Album of the Year honours from The Guardian and The Sunday Times, and multiple major award nominations.
TEETH ‘N’ SMILESDuke of York’s Theatre, London WC2N 4BGFrom March 2026 – Limited 12-Week RunTickets on sale October 2025 | Priority booking at teethnsmilesplay.com