Review: DON’T ROCK THE BOAT, The Mill at Sonning
Pamela Raith
It is always a pleasure to visit The Mill at Sonning and enjoy their unique blend of excellently produced theatre and warm hospitality. Its location on the banks of the Thames makes it the perfect venue to host Robin Hawdon’s play Don’t Rock The Boat, which is set on a houseboat on the river.
Jackie Hutson has transformed The Mill stage into a tiny stretch of The Thames, with the delightful touch of real water and a grass riverbank forming the downstage edge of the playing space. The attention to detail in the representation of a quintessential (rather upmarket!) British houseboat is charming, playful and provides the cramped setting for the story to unfold.
The premise is simple, two very different families spend the weekend together on a boat and sparks fly. The Bullhead family - Arthur, Mary and their daughter Shirley - are brash and loud new money, with loose morals and potty mouths. Francesca Barrett as Shirley delivers an accomplished debut performance, as a very believable teenager who would rather be anywhere other than with her parents. Her downtrodden mother Mary (Melanie Gutteridge) is overshadowed by her misogynist bully of a husband Arthur (Steven Pinder), who believes his wife’s main role is to pander to his every whim- even ones he hasn’t had yet. This marital dynamic isn’t the only thing about the piece which feels very dated, and the humour that is supposedly derived from the relationship often falls rather flat.
In contrast to the Bullheads, Harry Gostelow gives a suitably uptight performance as John Coombes, a sensible and staid solicitor, town councillor and member of many local boards and charities. His spouse Carol (Rachel Fielding) is the perfect wife and mother, and their daughter Wendy (Hannah Brown) is portrayed as lively Shirley’s exact opposite - meek, obedient and a little bit dowdy. This pseudo reality soon crumbles, as all three of the Coombes’ exhibit some less than proper behaviours!
As the weekend progresses, bribery, fraud, adultery and lies all rear their ugly heads as local politics and shady dealings are discussed. Some of the more heated scenes feel a little overdone in places, while the most meaningful character connection seems to be between Shirley and Wendy, who bond over some boys they met at a riverbank pub. There are moments of gentle comedy, and some of the themes are as relevant today as they were when the play was first published in 1992- you can’t choose your family, local politics is always a minefield, and first impressions can be very deceiving!
While there are some lovely moments, unfortunately the dated script and instances that verge on melodrama mean that Don’t Rock the Boat feels a little out of touch with modern audiences.
** Two stars
Reviewed by Sarah Brown
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