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No country for old women: Old Ladies - at Finborough Theatre

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The day after seeing The Old Ladies at the Finborough Theatre , I was describing the play to someone in great detail: about three old ladies who lived in a rickety house in southern England in 1935. Based on Hugh Walpole’s novel and adapted by Rodney Ackland, it is the sort of story with enough believability, humour and mild thriller to stick in your mind. Perhaps it is the lure of this dark, forboding tale of a life without money, to be alone and to be old, that makes you feel attracted to this poverty porn. But then again, given the state of the world, the cost of living, an ageing population, or just the fact that it’s a dog-eat-dog world, it might as well be an every little old lady-for-herself, too. It’s a well-acted and staged piece that moves at a brisk pace, so there isn’t much time to think about it too much. And in the intimate (or should that be claustrophobic?) space of the Finborough, there’s nowhere to avert your eyes. Even if you wanted to.  The scene is a grim Cathe...

Waiting for Sandy: Milked @WhiteBearTheatre

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Two lads looking for meaning and lots of time on their hands are at the heart of Milked. Simon Longman's play first premiered in 2013. While it may not capture the latest malaises and anxieties affecting post-pandemic youth, it has enough of a familiar ring to it for anyone who has eavesdropped on the thoughts and musings of young people when out and about. And with some lively performances by the two young men, you feel drawn into their bizarre little world as the conversation runs from the routine to the ridiculous. It's currently having a short run at the White Bear Theatre in Kennington. 

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The premise is that Paul (Iwan Bond) is searching for a job that becomes increasingly desperate. He wants to find a job in media (whatever that is) but has neither the skills nor the experience to do it. And being based in Herefordshire rather than London makes it a stretch to be considered for anything. His mate, Snowy (Evan L. Barker), seems to be on a journey of self-discovery. His father has a sheep farm but doesn't seem bothered by doing much. Amidst all this idleness and fruitless job searching, Snowy stumbles upon a distressed cow trapped in a local field and enlists Paul's help to lend a hand. At first, to improve things for the cow, but then find the most implausible ways to end the cow's suffering. 

From suffocating the cow in a large plastic bag to chopping down a tree to crush it, it's probably a good idea that there is no real cow featured here. We are left to our imagination about the animal's state. It's like Waiting for Godot if Godot was bloating. But between all the ideas of knocking off Sandy (as they refer to her), a compelling story emerges about why these young men are lost and adrift. The two leads' performances make you feel sympathetic to their cause, even if it doesn't seem plausible (or humane) not to call for help. 

There is also something nice about a production that manages to throw everything on stage - clover, chopped trees, a mountain of job applications and a sofa that looks like the production team might have found on a street nearby. 

Directed by David Bond, Milked is at the White Bear Theatre until 25 January. It's billed as a play with a big cow, two guys and some music. If you ask me, it seems like a good way to start the year. 

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Photos by Craig Sugden


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