Everything Theatre Reviews, interviews and news for theatre lovers, London and beyond
Four women and a book club form the basis for this touching comedySummary
Rating
Good
Autumn Winter Spring Summer is warm hearted comedy from writer Peter Drake that touches on family, loss and friendships. Presented by ZIPS Theatre, the play revolves around four women who attend a book club.
Jane Morley plays Bev, whose home is the setting. She sits with Louise, Rachel and Helen and they chat with one another about their lives throughout the year. It starts with Bev having a rather strained conversation with her mother who suffers from dementia. Without giving too much away, this is the only relationship that evolves in relation to character development.
The cast work well together and the chemistry between them is very apparent, although it’s Louise, a boisterous and charismatic character, played by Natalie O’Sullivan, who steals the show. Her charm, wit and comedic timing is spot on as she talks about her love life and how hard it is for women to date in their forties – something that is relatable to men, women and other gender identities. The supporting cast are also good, and it’s fun to see Helen (Louise Kennedy–Neal), who is slightly younger than the rest, stirring the cauldron ever so slightly.
The first half is very engaging, with good humour keeping the momentum of the play going. Unfortunately I found a slight lag in the middle, as the comedy came to feel a bit forced and repetitive. This could be put down to the lack of character development, but for a run time of an hour and ten, this play is designed to perhaps only open a window and give us an insight into the lives of these intriguing women. It did pick up towards the end.
Steve Frost’s lighting is very impressive. The way time passing is signified by freezing and restarting conversations is superb. However, what stood out the most and kept me pondering long after the play was over, was a very memorable and poignant line read by Helen; ‘We read to know we are not alone’.
Autumn Winter Spring Summer is a very enjoyable play with touching moments that will stay with you after the curtain goes down.
Directed by: Sue Payne
Written by: Peter Lewis Drake
Produced by: Paula Bland and Greta Jenkins
Autumn, Winter, Spring, Summer has completed its current run.
