Hull New Theatre – 3 October 2017. Reviewed by Catherine McWilliams.
3***
John Godber’s new comedy skillfully weaves Hull’s history over the past 50 years with that of Malcolm and Becky King, who are celebrating their golden wedding anniversary. We see the family’s ups and downs and falling outs. The falling out mainly revolving around sporting rivalries, in this case the rugby league rivalry between Hull Kingston Rovers and Hull FC (the Hull equivalent of Manchester City and Manchester United) – what do you do when your children announce they don’t support Rovers? Add in family moving across the river to the posh suburbs for even more friction.
The comedy is set at Malcolm and Becky’s “surprise” anniversary party with Ruby and the Vinyl providing the music. The cast tell the story of the family over the past 50 years and full of local references and jokes that were thoroughly enjoyed by the audience. From references to prison riots to music and back again to those local sporting rivalries. The trauma of the floods in 2007 leading to the joy of the trip to Wembley to see Hull City win a place in the Premiership for the first time and the joy of seeing Hull on the up with its City of Culture status.
Throughout it all Malcom King (Martin Barrass) is giving us his take on life, one that doesn’t always tally with that of his family, talking to us as if we are also guests at his anniversary party. Uncle Trev (Robert Angell) likes a drink and is more than happy to share his version of the story too, usually one that doesn’t agree with his brother’s version!
Ruby and the Vinyl’s music is superb throughout, specially written for the production by Ruby Macintosh. Her songs relate to Hull’s story over the past 50 years. Her song about the river was particularly moving.
This is a gentle comedy full of the poignancy and the joys of 50 years of family life, but one that is not overly sentimental.