★★★★★

“warm, sincere, contemporary and very funny”

Jerome K Jerome wrote ‘Three Men In A Boat’ in the late 19th century as a humorous travelogue, providing a social comment on Victorian society and leisure, which went on to become one of the most enduring comic novels in English literature. It has indeed never been out of print and has inspired numerous adaptations for stage, radio and television. The book follows three friends (and a dog) as they embark upon a boating holiday up the River Thames from Kingston upon Thames to Oxford.

This production is a long awaited collaboration of two award winning Berkshire theatres, Reading Rep and The Watermill producing a world premiere of Camille Ucan’s debut play ‘Three Hens In A Boat’ lovingly inspired by Jerome’s classic but with a contemporary twist, focusing on three women – a grandmother, mother and daughter – embarking on a hens do with a difference.

From the moment we enter the auditorium the combination of the muted lighting by Jonathan Chan, the charming riverbank setting designed by Jasmine Swan and the subtle yet effective soundscape by Ella Wahlström, creates a sedative effect on the senses transporting us to a timeless part of the Thames. However the modern city looming in the distance, beyond the tranquil meadows, places us firmly in the 21st century. There is even a decent sized skiff on stage which is of course, so central to the voyage.

I absolutely loved this production, transforming it to an all female intergenerational piece is inspired. The audience witness the physical and emotional meanderings of the women as they not only navigate the Thames but the complex mother / daughter relationships of the three generations, whilst understanding the unconditional love that binds them all together. Not only is Camille’s writing warm, sincere, contemporary and very funny, she also plays the role of the ‘woke’ granddaughter. All three of the women’s performances (Verona Rose as the mother and a scene-stealing Ellen O’Grady as the grandmother) were truly sensational. A nod to the composer Lauryn Redding here, who deftly balances the music to suit the mood and different age groups perfectly.

Abigail Pickard Price’s confident direction and inspired use of the small set, together with a stellar cast and production team has created a real gem of a show – a joyful, hilarious yet poignant journey for everyone

Burke & Hare

Jermyn Street Theatre

Reviewed – 30th November 2018

★★★½

“A quiet night in the West End this is not. And quite right too. For what could be more festive than death, deceit and intrigue?”

Messrs William Burke and Hare have passed into mythology as notorious grave robbers who turned a profit in 1820s Scotland flogging corpses to medical schools. Tom Wentworth’s comic script revisits their tale, claiming to be an ‘objective’ rendering, ‘rooted firmly in reality’. But those seeking an authoritative retelling of Burke and Hare’s story need not apply. This is history played for laughs – a mission very successfully achieved.

Indeed, there’s frank admission of the history’s slipperiness throughout. The opening scene sees the actors in and out of character, clamouring to rehabilitate the reputations of their respective roles. This also serves as a handy introduction to this micro-cast of three.

Such lean staffing certainly leaves nowhere to hide, but this strong ensemble pull it off. Impeccable comic timing delivers laugh-out-loud moments, with Alex Parry and Hayden Wood especially effective as the dastardly duo.

Also strong, Katy Daghorn as, well, almost everyone else, at times comes off a touch mannered. As with all the actors here, her ready command of accents is impressive but her physicality can feel awkward. This is a small niggle, though, given the dexterity shown by this apparently tireless trio in what must be an exhausting performance.

The cast canter through a merry repertoire of Victorian Edinburgh’s finest. Indeed, real fun is had with the limits of a three-person cast in a confined space. One gag sees the cast stumped when they realise that, all on stage, they are without a corpse. Considerable charm is applied by Wood and a conscript found: sit on the front row at your peril.

This quip wears thinner in an extended sequence in the second half, but Parry’s shattering performance of every member of an extended family group is nonetheless impressive. This retold joke, though, perhaps eats into time that might have been better spent unravelling the tail-end of the narrative a little more; the conclusion is upon us with little warning and the outcome of the eventual criminal trial feels rushed.

Every resource is put to work to create atmosphere and place in this tiny theatre. This includes intelligent uses of music and sound, such as the metronome set ticking as we wait for yet another lodger to shuffle off this mortal coil. Mention must also be made of the cast’s really beautifully executed close harmonies, from drinking songs to ballads. Lighting, too, is neat, variously suggesting the fug of an Edinburgh street, a sterile anatomy lecture hall and the snug boarding house amongst others.

All in all, Burke and Hare offers surprising levels of merriment for a play about resurrection men. There is balance here – we’re given real menace leading up to and pathos at the death of one key player – but the night rattles along at a fair pace. A quiet night in the West End this is not. And quite right too. For what could be more festive than death, deceit and intrigue?

THREE HENS IN A BOAT

Watermill Theatre

★★★★★

“warm, sincere, contemporary and very funny”

THREE HENS IN A BOAT

Watermill Theatre

Reviewed on 27th May 2025

by Sarah Milton

Photography by Pamela Raith

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

THREE HENS IN A BOAT

THREE HENS IN A BOAT

THREE HENS IN A BOAT

Jermyn Street Theatre

Reviewed – 30th November 2018

★★★½

“A quiet night in the West End this is not. And quite right too. For what could be more festive than death, deceit and intrigue?”

Indeed, there’s frank admission of the history’s slipperiness throughout. The opening scene sees the actors in and out of character, clamouring to rehabilitate the reputations of their respective roles. This also serves as a handy introduction to this micro-cast of three.

Such lean staffing certainly leaves nowhere to hide, but this strong ensemble pull it off. Impeccable comic timing delivers laugh-out-loud moments, with Alex Parry and Hayden Wood especially effective as the dastardly duo.

Reviewed by Abi Davies

Photography by Philip Tull

Burke & Hare

Jermyn Street Theatre until 21st December

Our review of the original Watermill production:

Previously reviewed at this venue:

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