大象传媒

Riding Lights Theatre Company are based in York and the play was adapted from the book by Riding Lights Artistic Director, Paul Burbridge who also directs.

The open set and pianist already on stage playing as we took our seats, set the music hall theme that was to run through the production.

This musical adaptation was much to my taste, funny, and in parts slapstick and occasionally pensive, but on the whole very uplifting.

Planning the expedition

The three main characters, of Jerome, Harris and George played by John Sackville, Jonathon Race and Drew Mulligan, captured the mood of late Victorian 'toffs' so well, as indeed did the rest of this talented group, eight in all. Although at times the quick changes and costumes gave the appearance of a much larger cast.

The singing and dancing were well executed, I heard every word (something I can鈥檛 usually admit to), there are no weak links in this ensemble. The comic timing, particularly of the three main characters was excellent.

Sean Cavanagh's set was simple, but very effective. The boat is cleverly manoeuvred round the stage by the 'three men' and the illusion of the boat drifting along the river was given by large wooden 'rafts' being pushed along the stage behind them - very clever.

The rest of the cast

For anyone unfamiliar with the story, this is a tale of three lazy impoverished young men who decide to take two weeks holiday in a boat on the Thames. We follow it from the planning to the end of the journey, interspersed with flashbacks and anecdotes from their past, all staged so beautifully.

In particular the train journey with the cheese, although with little to suggest an actual train, the clever staging and direction left one in no doubt that that鈥檚 where they were. As with the scene in the Hampton Court Maze, the stage direction is to be applauded.

I have not enjoyed an evening at the theatre so much for a long time, this is an evening of real pleasure and I certainly was not alone in feeling this, as the applause from the audience proved, resulting in numerous curtain calls.

I would urge you to pay this excellent show a visit.

Janet Cass