A comic exploration of finding community in unlikely spaces.Rating
Excellent!
Joining a club centred on your passion sounds like a great idea, even if it comes with homework. When life gets in the way, and you do not have time to do it, what happens then? Do you lie, bluff your way through, or simply embrace the truth and have another glass of Whispering Angel with your friends? Book Club embraces all of this with warmth and humour. Four loosely connected neighbours, along with Bob, meet monthly to discuss the classics, and as the months pass, the group grows closer and increasingly unhinged while they navigate life together.
Linda (Joanna Dodd) is the controlling, uptight founder of Book Club. She has an agenda, she has emailed it out, and she has a printed copy as well. It is even laminated. The wine she has chosen has been carefully paired with the book. At first, the other members, including Bob, played by Colin Sheehan, tread carefully around her, wary of upsetting their leader. As the play progresses, however, they grow braver and more honest, offering Linda the truths she needs to hear. Gemma (Ailsa Wright) acts as the catalyst for change, boldly outspoken yet disarmingly vulnerable when discussing her career ambitions. Joe Waterfield plays the charming, puppy-like James, a local English teacher who adores the written word and enjoys a little gossip. Kate Bromage, the playwright, steps into the role of Susan for this run. Susan is effortlessly funny and endearing, her vacant expression and habit of raising her hand to speak capturing a perfect sense of innocence.
The title suggests there will be frequent literary references, but this is not quite the case. The references that do appear are universal and easy to follow, even for those unfamiliar with the books discussed. The play is not only for book lovers, but for anyone who has joined a club in search of connection, and it delivers on that promise.
The development of the three female characters is particularly strong, though the audience is left wondering what becomes of the kindly James. While Bob, Linda’s husband, clearly provides comic relief throughout, it would have been welcome to see James given a little more depth and narrative focus. In addition, the scenes surrounding the ‘big secret’ feel slightly drawn out and could be tightened, as they momentarily lose momentum. Book Club explores the very human need for connection, and the unexpected places and people through which we find it. It may well leave you wanting to start your own book club, even if it is simply an excuse to drink wine and share themed nibbles.
Writer and Director: Kate Bromage
Producer: Christina Ashton
Tech: Liz Ashford & Lauren Fassam
Book Club has finished its run at The Bread & Roses Theatre, but will return this summer before appearing at the Edinburgh Fringe.
