IN THE LADY GARDEN at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

★★★★

“a charming and very funny play”

Things have never been the same for Alice since that time when she was a kid when she took all her clothes off and ran naked into the living room. She couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about. Her brother was naked all the time and it didn’t seem to bother anyone, but something about her doing it was different. It’s ever since then that she’s wondered: would things be different if she were born a boy? She’s now 69 years’ old and she’s here to tell us her story. Oh, and she’s somehow found herself locked up in a jail cell (the reason for which will become clear as the story goes on!). Through an hour of storytelling, we find out all about her life; from being expelled from convent school to the struggles of her family life and relationships.

This is a charming and very funny play, and an Edinburgh Fringe debut from The Lady Gardeners, a company of three women all over the age of 60. Julia Faulkner is fantastic as Alice, energetically moving around the stage in her grey tracksuit and slippers as she morphs seamlessly into the different characters in Alice’s life. She does an incredible job at getting all of the audience around the thrust stage really involved in the story, in a staging which has been skilfully directed by Deborah Edgington.

As well as having lots of brilliant one-liners and a really touching, human story about growing old and reflecting on the past, Babs Horton’s play is also filled with beautiful poetry and imagery, which delightfully paints Alice’s world for the audience and makes it an utter joy to listen to. There are also plenty of hilarious moments; a scene featuring a trip to Ann Summers as Alice shops for a vibrator provides some particularly laugh-out-loud moments, and Alice’s exploration of the world of social media becomes a real eye-opener for her. Horton’s script also cleverly weaves exposition into the text; a funny moment sharply turning dark as we’re told of the loss of a child, for instance, is really delicately handled, and provides lots of layers to Alice’s life which allow us to become really invested in her as a character.

All of this is underscored with music that sets the scene and atmosphere, and there’s a lovely costume change towards the end as Alice finds her sense of freedom with an escape to Sicily. A little more could be done with the play’s pacing, particularly the first half, and some of the jokes could land a little neater, but luckily Faulkner’s charm and rapport with the audience keeps us engaged throughout. A brilliant debut show and a great way to spend the afternoon in Edinburgh

IN THE LADY GARDEN at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe – Pleasance Courtyard

Reviewed on 8th August 2024

by Joseph Dunitz

IN THE LADY GARDEN

IN THE LADY GARDEN

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