The Silence of Snow: The Life of Patrick Hamilton – The White Bear

The Silence of Snow: The Life of Patrick Hamilton opens like a gothic horror: thunder and rain set a moody scene as a figure sits slumped over in a white hospital gown, before jolting to life and erupting into a crazed monologue complete with manic laughter. This play – like the novels and plays of the real-life Patrick Hamilton – boldly explores dark themes and incorporates spooky imagery. Life – the play seems to suggest – can be as terrifying as any fictional ghost or demon, but we can still smile and laugh. Above all, this play tells an interesting story about an interesting character and is masterfully performed.

This one-man show (written and performed by Mark Farrelly) follows almost the entire life of Patrick Hamilton from his youth in the 1910s and ‘20s to his declining health and imminent death in the 1960s. Along the way he experiences love, infatuation, extra-marital affairs, injury, and writes numerous plays and novels – all while battling alcoholism.

It’s exciting to learn more about the life of this relatively under-appreciated writer. It makes for an engaging character study; over the course of 70 minutes Hamilton directly addresses the audience, telling his story and baring his soul. Like many biographical stories, the plot of The Silence of Snow can sometimes suffer from meandering without a clear narrative drive. Several scenes – while important chapters in the story of the real-life Hamilton’s life – leave you wondering what purpose they serve in this play. Similarly, the earlier scenes of the play – when Hamilton is a young man, still excited by life – move at a breakneck pace, without giving the audience time to catch their breath, while the later more sombre scenes seem to drag on by comparison.

However, Mark Farrelly’s performance is so engaging that such minor problems with structure and pacing be largely overlooked. From the moment the play begins until the very end, Farrelly embodies the character with unwavering commitment. Farrelly’s Hamilton is a whirlwind of energy, moving at lightning speed from one story beat, joke, or emotion to next with spellbinding precision. Farrelly is consistently very funny, while simultaneously portraying Hamilton’s inner pain with humanity and sincerity. Although there are plenty of scenes where – on paper – Hamilton is entirely unlikeable, Farrelly’s performance ensures that the audience can’t help but sympathise, and hope he gets the help he needs in order to overcome his demons.

Mark Farrelly is an absolutely brilliant performer and I shall certainly be seeking out more of his work. Details of his upcoming performances can be found here: https://markfarrelly.co.uk/schedule/

Reviewer: Charles Edward Pipe

Reviewed: 26th September 2025

North West End UK Rating: