The Bah Humbug Club - Review

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Thu 08 Dec 2022 - Tue 27 Dec 2022

The years roll away with ease in this inventive new comedy play which was literally 'made for Christmas'. Lichfield playwright Carolyn Scott-Jeffs' new creation, appropriately titled The Bah Humbug Club, delivers a clear and stark message that the festive season is not full of joy and happiness for everyone. And it certainly doesn't rush towards its conclusion, with the play, which runs at the Lichfield Garrick theatre until December 27, challengingly set over a period of 23 years! Carolyn, who unashamedly 'borrows' Scrooge's catchphrase for the title, has thrown together four complete strangers who are united in trying to escape the Christmas festivities for different reasons. They all inadvertently book the same hideaway cottage in the middle of nowhere (specifically the Cairngorms) to 'hide' out until the New Year. Pauline has the biggest reason to get away from it all, having lost her beloved husband Bill to illness earlier in the year. Her neighbour's squawking parrot is added for comedic effect but I, personally, would have searched for an all-year round solution and not just for Christmas!



Next up is Fred, unceremoniously dumped by his girlfriend, who has been told to improve his act as far as women are concerned. And the third person to have triple-booked the cottage for the yuletide period is the glamorous Jane who is hoping for a quiet romantic break with her boyfriend, Dave. The fourth member of Carolyn's cast is Andy who breaks into the cottage to escape their seemingly overbearing family who, as it turns out, own the property in question. The play opens on Christmas Eve 1999 when Pauline, Fred and Jane discover they will have to share their hideaway, while Andy literally breaks in. By the time they see in the New Year, the four decide to form a club and meet up in the same cottage every Christmas if they can - while also avoiding any personal contact throughout the rest of the year. The storyline then jumps several years at a time, initially to 2005 and then 2010, before finally arriving in the present day.



The Bah Humbug Club owes much to its splendid cast to help make it work, especially as the characters don't fully come across as hating Christmas that much. Érin Geraghty leads the way as the widowed Pauline and Danny Horn, whose past credits range from Doctor Who to Vera, is utterly convincing as Fred. Rosie Coles, who only graduated from the Birmingham School of Acting five years ago, plays the part of lovelorn romantic Jane very well, as does Beck Greig as Nirvana-loving rock fan Andy who ends up becoming a high-flying lawyer. So, how will their lives and relationships end up in 2022? You'll have to get along to the Lichfield Garrick to find out!



The Bah Humbug Club continues at the Garrick until December 27. Tickets priced from £20 are available from the theatre website at www.lichfieldgarrick.com or by calling the Box Office on 01543 412121.

#christmas
#comedy
#humour
#theatre
#theatre -reviews
#december
!date 08/12/2022 -- 27/12/2022
%wnbirmingham