Review: Murder on the Allotment, The Cockpit

Someone once said to me that musicals were the strongest way to get emotion over in a play. Those words came back to me as refugee Karwan (Seraphim Gumede) sang about family and home, expressing a strength that perhaps wouldn’t be possible in plain words. In fact, the lyrical content throughout Murder on the Allotment fully carries the show, aided by the clarity of every word sung by the three wonderful actors.

Plotwise, it’s a fun juxtaposition, taking something quintessentially English (our obsession with allotments) then playing it against the worst nightmares of the Daily Mail reader; immigration and refugees. Hugh (Bret Jones) and Virginia (Katherine Glasson) are the two allotment holders, both very English. VERY traditionally English. “Nothing has changed since 1904” they sing, making it clear that change really isn’t their thing. So when Karwan arrives, both are slightly perturbed. After all, there’s a waiting list for allotments; why should a refugee be able to jump the queue? “They get priority for everything” Virginia suggests as she and Hugh argue over his right to be there, on their land.

Over four acts, presented as the changing seasons, Virginia’s opinions soften while Hugh‘s harden, his nose put out of joint by the threat Karwan poses to his way of life; for Hugh, that is winning the “Top of the Plots” annual allotment competition. It’s a clever way to represent feeling threatened by the outsider.

The show as a whole is an absolute delight. The gentle humour balances well with its commentary on immigration, the bigger picture reduced down to their small patches of ground. The clarity of the voices, accompanied by Tess Adèle Glinert’s keyboards, allows us to hear every word, vital when the songs are filled with so much wit.

As a first outing, it certainly demonstrates Elizabeth Wood’s writing skills. But there are obvious areas for improvement. Firstly, Hugh and Virginia, while both well written with plenty of backstory dropped in to demonstrate where they are coming from, do go through quite rapid changes. At the beginning Hugh is pro-immigration, Virginia anti, yet by act two Virginia is the pro-option, with nothing inbetween to explain her sudden change of mind. Conversely, Hugh does the opposite switch. At least he has the competition as a reason for this, but again the pace of change needs rethinking, with his extreme views seeming at odds with his earlier statements that everyone has a right to be here.

The slight lack of drama is the more pressing issue. A first half skips along with lots of witty songs to set the scene, but no real action. When we do reach the titular murder, it is rushed through. Murder, accusations and revelations all happen within the same scene, allowing no room for much drama. It needs more time to build, to become more than just an aside to everything else. The show is left feeling lovely and warm, yet never quite one that grabs you fully and rooting for these characters.

But its charm is unmistakable, the duets between Virginia and Karwan especially working to pull at the heartstrings, while early numbers with Hugh and Virginia bring much of the humour.

There are lots of reasons to love Murder on the Allotment. Lyrically it’s a delight, the cast deliver it with plenty of style, while the reduction of the immigration debate to a patch of allotments is brilliantly thought out. It just needs to consider those character arcs and inject a little more drama to really make use of its solid foundations. Much like a winning allotment, with the right care and attention there is every reason to think this could bloom into something beautiful.

Written by Elizabeth Wood
Directed by Tess Adèle Glinert
Produced by Make My Show Productions

Murder on the Allotment plays at The Cockpit until Tuesday 11 August as part of Camden Fringe.