Gala Theatre, Durham – until 24th May 2025
Reviewed by Sheila Storrar
5*****
Former BBC Look North presenter for over twenty years, Jeff Brown, is used to presenting the stories of the local area. His second play, The Bench, is a love story about a footballer, Adi (Jason Njoroge), and single mother, Vicky (Hannah Marie Davis), who’s different worlds collide when they meet by chance on a park bench. On the face of it, their backgrounds, life challenges and aspirations are very different, but as their stories unfold, it is clear they have much more in common.
Vicky, is struggling to raise her baby son on benefits, alongside caring for her sick mother. She takes him to the park because it’s free. There, she meets Adi, a Premiership footballer, who is paid more money than he can spend. After a poor run of form, he is quite literally on the bench. Born in Africa and raised in France, he is isolated and subjected to racism, both on and off the field. These are not obvious themes that lend themselves to a humorous approach.
Much of the comedy comes from the interactions between Adi and his scheming agent, Mike Malone and conversations between Vicky and her best friend, Becs. Both David Nellist as the former and Abigail Lawson as the latter, are believable and excellent in their roles and provide some laugh out loud moments. The cast is completed by Dan Howe, who appears as various characters who interact with the main players.
In the second act, a conversation on the bench reveals more about Adi and Vicky’s individual back stories. The emotionally charged scene is played out by both actors in an understated and sensitive way. A hush descended in the theatre as the audience engaged with and was moved by their experiences. The mood lightens towards the end of the act as we find out if this unlikely couple can overcome the obstacles in their way.
Special mention must go to the set design by Lee Ward, which incorporates Adi’s apartment, Vicky’s home and a football stadium, as well as the park bench of the title, centre stage.
The Bench packs in a multitude of themes, including racism, football, caring, terminal illness, war, power and powerlessness. Jeff Brown, writing from personal and professional experience, juggles them all with humour and compassion. The result is an entertaining and thought-provoking story about finding connection and hope in an unlikely place. A thoroughly entertaining evening which closed to a standing ovation from the audience.