The Mill at Sonning, 20 October 2209.
“I’ll hold your programme while you’re driving!” She walked off with it – GGGrrrrrrr. With my notes – double GGGrrrrrrr.
What exactly is a review ? Having said I will do a “review” I am not at all sure what that means. My opinion is what you are getting.
It was great, and I enjoyed it….. OK, then, a bit more.
It was a modern day musical, with the feel good factor built in; about a modern day family trying to get rid of the old guy. Pushy wife of son, and accommodating daughter married to a “jack the lad”. There is a birthday (about a year after a bereavement) – and the first act sets the scene for what is to follow incredibly well. There are 5 songs in act 1, and I think 9 in act 2 (no programme!!). The songs move the action along at a goodly pace; that doesn’t mean you ‘lose the plot’ as the theme is threaded throughout – mainly through the songs. Children wanting to oust parent – parent doesn’t want to let go – goes to dance club with friend – cannot dance – friend shows how – is seen by siblings – think Dad is gay – all comes out afterwards – Dad seeing woman a year after bereavement – now that’s not permitted either. The comedy is in the spiralling confusion; and is actually everywhere – from the mild farce, to the mild pathos, to the mild bullying of “son” by pushy “wife”. Obviously it all comes good in the end.
The characters are all perfectly cast. The daughter with the ‘jack the lad’ husband, trying to pretend it is natural for the husband to be off on ‘business’ every night. Mind you, she tells him to call when he’s on his way home, which also gives her the opportunity to get rid of anyone she is entertaining. Does that sound cynical? The ‘pushy’ wife wants son to improve; and be dynamic, father finding a direction for his life in his ‘September’ years.
The theatre is well laid out, and the acoustics are excellent. The cast all had very personable voices, clear and musically acceptable to my tone deaf ear. The seats are OK for the 90 minutes you are in them. One BIG drawback – NO ICE CREAM IN THE INTERVAL. Coffee, drinks or tea, yes But this heinous lack of consideration for ice cream lovers is intolerable.
In conclusion – I enjoyed it enormously; it was witty, amusing and fast enough to keep you enthralled throughout. It was great.
Austin Maytham
October 2009