Review: BLEAK EXPECTATIONS, The Watermill Theatre

It may be 7.30pm but British Summertime is delivering a gorgeous, bright evening as we walk towards the Watermill Theatre in Berkshire. With its soft willow trees, honking geese and manicured lawns, I would argue this is one of the country's prettiest venues, so a trip here is a treat before you've even started on the formal entertainment.

We leave the brightness behind and wander into the dimly lit 19th century for Bleak Expectations. Katie Lias' set makes an immediate impression: multi-levelled and plush, it centres around a massive pile of books (perhaps a nod to writer Mark Evan's own book-loving, tome-towering childhood) that comes to provide everything from a ladder to a hiding place as the show goes on. It's gorgeous and entertaining in its own right, lit perfectly by Andrew Gilbert as the moods change to composer Tom Pigott-Smith and sound designer Yvonne Gilbert's evocative audible backdrop.

Now, the main thing to know about this production is it is very, very funny. Silly, sure; but cheek-achingly funny. From the moment Nicholas Murchie's begins his high-energy rendition of 19th century everyman Sir Philip Bin, Bleak Expectations is a laugh-a-minute tumble through this naturally dramatic era.

In fact, Evans has written this new stage adaptation of his popular radio play to pack serious punch as we battle good and evil in the life of Philip Bin. Yes, some of the gags are dad jokes that elicit more of a groan than a guffaw but, for the most part, his ceaseless stream of quick one-liners deliver laugh after laugh of pure entertainment. Director Caroline Leslie ensures that our two hours here fly by - a feat for any post-pandemic production longer than the three-minute attention span we seem to have developed. Her production is slick and snappy, helped by along by props and costumes (also by Lias) that take on a side-splitting life of their own.

The cast give as good as they get, too. It's rare - in an ensemble piece of this kind - for each individual to be as strong as the other but they are, each bringing a combination of stock character hilarity and witty personal interpretation to the concoction of characters.

Most actors play at least a couple of parts with ease, and all stand out for one reason or another. Rose Basista's Poppy Bin is a delight with her child-like innocence and trusty anvil, while Cailin Scott makes her excellent professional debut as both plucky Poppy Bin and quirky Ripely Fecund. Alicia McKenzie is the epitome of hysterical 19th century mother as Agnes Bin, before becoming the delightfully airy-fairy love interest that is Flora Dies-Early. Colm Gleeson morphs merrily from Thomas Bin to Bakewell Havertwitch and Broadly Feccund, providing plenty of larks along the way, while Dom Hodson is a stalwart of laughter inducement and shining line delivery as our hero Pip Bin.

JJ Henry is an absolute delight. Both as Harry Biscuit and Mr Parsimonious, there's an amusing CBBC nostalgia to be enjoyed here and he delivers some of the show's best lines with aplomb. Simon Kane and Dan Tetsell are the evil antidotes to all that goodness, and we can't help but love to hate them. They complete this cacophony of pantomime-like characters and, spoiler alert, it all turns out alright in the end.

As for the critical Dickens connection: well, I'd be lying if I said I was a Dickens expert, or even a novice, really. But thankfully that's neither here nor there. Bleak Expectations is inspired by Dickens, of course, and in-jokes pepper the script but never to the detriment of those not in-the-know. On the contrary, this show envelopes you in this familiar era and add contemporary comedy and lashing of enjoyment all the way through.

It's a great night out - completed by the Watermill's own unparalleled backdrop as we walk back out into the glorious British Summertime (and, yes, it was still bright).

Bleak Expectations at the Watermill Theatre until 2 July.