REVIEW: FAMILY PLANNING

Titchfield Festival Theatre

St Margaret’s Lane Theatre, Titchfield

FAMILY Planning is a tale of extended family dysfunction, with Gran (Diana Shearman) literally at the top of the family, as she’s confined to an upstairs bedroom, much to her disgust. She provided a good dose of comedy with her malapropisms and knack for predicting the future. Her harassed daughter Elsie (Amanda Jacobs), is altogether believable as a woman of the sandwich generation, with a husband Idris (Martin Crawley), who has terminal hypochondria. Add in a sexually frustrated neighbour (Katie Watson), a pregnant, teenage daughter (Tara Barton-Leigh) and her dim-wit boyfriend (Matthew Varney) and you have the makings of a dark-ish comedy. A touch more assurance with the lines would have added to the pace, but all played their roles with first-class and recognisable characterisations, and a comedic charm. My one frustration was the lighting, which in no way represented the time of day. A minor quibble, in an otherwise accomplished production, directed by Terri Crawley.

Rebecca Case