It’s been many years I’ve visited Reading and what better excuse to visit than for a play at the Reading Rep.
THREE HENS IN A BOAT is inspired by the literary classic THREE MEN IN A BOAT by Jerome K Jerome and charts the many twists and turns of intergenerational family dynamics on a hen do with a difference.
A grandmother, mother and daughter/granddaughter all get on a boat on the River Thames from Kingston to Henley…this sounds like the opening to a joke which is fitting given the comedic style and flow of the production.
Claudette (Ellen O’Grady), Gloria (Verona Rose) and Jay (Camille Ucan) have ventured out on a well-intentioned family outing which is a catalyst for mishaps and misunderstandings. Secrets and lies are uncovered which brings forth the tenuous nature of the bond that hold them together. The underlying tension and old resentments are uncovered revealing the cracks in their maternal relationships.
This female-led adaptation by Camille Ucan takes the original story and turns it into a lively and somewhat moving exploration of family relationships. It highlights the value of honouring each other’s truths as individuals whilst giving each other space to be who we truly are without fear of judgement or reproach.
The intimacy of the theatre and the vibrant stage design brought the story to life reflecting what it means to be a family through trust, humour, forgiveness and ultimately unconditional love.
I struggled to fully connect with the characters which given the theme was surprising but I think it may have been due to the fact that I wanted to see more depth particularly as it pertained to Claudette and Gloria’s relationship. Jay and Gloria’s relationship was explored well as was Jay and Claudette’s but the elder mother and daughter relationship lacked connectivity.
Ellen O’Grady commanded the stage with a grace and fluidity that brought her role to life. There were moments in the play which for me lacked culture nuance particularly in the way the elder matriarch was spoken to given the knowledge of the grandmother’s religious and cultural background but I appreciated the inclusion of references to Guyanese heritage and culture.
I also think that some of the topics could have been explored with more courage; age gap relationships, maternal health, Windrush generation struggles, patriarchal influence vs matriarchal power, sexuality and identity as a whole. There were a lot of conversation starters raised but not fully explored and perhaps it would have been too much to do within the timeframe of the play but I would have liked more focus on a handful of topics as opposed to using comedic license to overlook some of those core themes.
Overall this was a pleasant production and though I think something was missing in order for it to be a truly memorable one I still encourage theatre goers to see this bold interpretation of a classic.
NEED TO KNOW: Three Hens in a Boat plays at Reading Rep until 17 May. 12, 25
