Bedroom Farce | Review

'Bedroom Farce' is currently playing at The Mill at Sonning theatre, and I'm always delighted to visit this beautiful venue. In previous reviews, I've noted how lovely the environment is and how spectacular the service (and food) is. A Saturday matinee really is a great way to spend the day.

Bedroom Farce by Alan Ayckbourn certainly is a farce by name and nature. Essentially, this is a dialogue between couples in the safe and intimate space of their bedroom that offers insight into the good and bad of marriage. The story revolves around four married couples connected to one another through a couple whose marriage is 'on the rocks'.

In the play, everything happens over the course of one night and early the next morning. It begins with an older couple, Ernest and Delia, who are preparing to celebrate their wedding anniversary. Malcom and Kate, the youngest couple, are having a housewarming party, and the other two couples, Jan and Nick and Susannah and Trevor, are invited (we don’t see Susannah and Trevor’s bedroom). Malcolm isn't able to attend this party due to his bad back. This comedy originated in the 1970s and seems perfect for most audiences who come to The Mill at Sonning.

Image showing an older male and female couple on a theatre stage dressed as a bedroom. — Stuart Fox (Ernest) & Julia Hills (Delia) | Photo: Andreas Lambis

Despite being a comedy, I didn't laugh that much. That's not to say I didn't enjoy it, because I did, it's a nice story and displays great writing. Sometimes the dialogue delivered some great punchlines, sometimes I missed them. Some of the characterisation seemed over the top, particularly the ‘troubled couple’ and the couple hosting a housewarming, but it comes across as very deliberate. Malcolm and Kate were wonderful to see, particularly Malcolm who was bed ridden due to a back injury and all of the movement issues we know too well (those with back pain).

Although I appreciated the various types of 'bedrooms', which created a great space and stage, I was most impressed by the lighting and direction. As the story progressed from one couple to the next (and one bedroom to the next), the lights stylishly changed to highlight each couple's story. This is a clever way to utilise a small space.

The venue and the play are both wonderful, and I recommend everyone attend and enjoy it. It is certainly possible to adapt the show for new audiences, but perhaps it is not necessary. Go and see for yourself. I'll let you be the judge.

Venue

The Mill at Sonning Theatre

Sonning Eye

RG4 6TY Reading

Dates:

01 August - 21 September 2024

Performance schedule

Evening shows Wed - Sat

Sat matinees every week

Thurs matinees: 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 August

Sun matinees from 8 September

FOR MATINEE PERFORMANCES: