Travels With My Aunt
Not every small theatre company would dare to take on a classic Graham Green tale, but Fourthwall are a brave and hardworking little troupe and pull it off with dignity and great humour.
With just 4 actors, the story unfolds around Henry Pulling, a retired bank manager who has led a safe and dull life, until he reacquaints himself with Aunt Augusta. Having not seen the lady for 50 years, Augusta appears at the funeral of her sister, the woman Henry believed to be his mother. What follows is a rapid and extremely funny romp as Henry is launched into Augusta’s world of travel and adventure, mystery and refined chaos. With minimal props and a clever soundtrack, Fourthwall bring us scenes from Brighton, the Orient Express, Paris and South America. The cast are dressed the same throughout, beginning with the opening scenes in dark suits as befits all funerals and changing for the second half into lighter Panama style suits as we are led through the steamy throngs of Istanbul and Paraguay.
Director Peter Dann brings us everything we could wish for in this adaptation, particularly in his casting of so many roles with so few actors; Nic Early is a delight in all his various guises, but as both Henry and Aunt Augusta he positively shines,Sally Collings changes roles at breakneck speed, but I am reliably informed she takes on more than 20 characters, Jamie Best and John Lawrey complete the cast with intelligent and strong performances. A brilliant adaptation, which kept the audience on it’s toes with speed and wit.
Travels With My Aunt continues touring, visit www.fourthwall.co.uk for more details