‘Creativity like this deserves support’
Bench are back at The Spring over the next two weeks with another self-penned piece, Bob And Doris Are Not Afraid, Jacquie Penrose’s clever and humorous view of global warming and its ultimate effects.
Using the clever device of an insurance company’s too-good-to-be-true household cover, taken out by our eponymous heroes, Penrose explores the effects the various results of global warming may – and probably will – have on the people of the world.
Director Vin Adams has rightly adopted a physicaltheatre approach to the piece.
The cast not only play the characters they, more often than not, play the furniture, the weather, the bunny wallpaper and – on one occasion – a helicopter.
From time to time the hard-working cast is not quite precise enough, not quite slick enough to be completely effective – but their hearts are in it and the opening-night audience clearly loved it.
Performance-wise, Sarah Ash as insurance company employee Nuala Brand leads the field.
Her over-the-top performance is beautifully judged and, despite that over the topness, I’d bet that most of us have worked with a Nuala over the years. Ash manages a very clever balancing act of unreality and truth.
David Penrose and Janette Evans as Bob and Doris work beautifully. Penrose is the master of the bemused stare; Evans is wonderfully naïve. Both are a joy and the pained anticipation of each disaster that strikes them makes you love them all the more.
If the ending has a Monty Python over the topness that requires a complete suspension of belief – what the hell?
Suspend that belief; go for the ride. It’s a joy.
The first half of the evening, before the play began, involved a series of readings, prose and poetry, by Pens Of The Earth, a group of local writers who are as concerned as any of us about the ruin of the planet. These pieces are well-written, thoughtful, funny and insightful.
Creativity like this deserves support. Go see.
Performances run tonight at 7.30pm with a 2.30pm matinee today, and 7.30pm from Wednesday to Saturday April 26-29. Tickets are £12, £10 concessions. Go to thespring. co.uk.