REVIEW: TRAVELS WITH MY AUNT

SALISBURY PLAYHOUSE

Based on Graham Greene’s 1969 novel, this is a stylishly produced and fast-moving play.

Although Greene was the author of 24 serious novels – among them Brighton Rock, The Power And The Glory, and The Heart Of The Matter, as well as screenwriting The Third Man – this was the novel he described as “the only book I have ever written for the fun of it”.

This light amusing production’s main character is Henry Pulling, a single retired bank manager whose only interest is gardening, particularly dahlias.

His lively and eccentric Aunt Augusta persuades Henry to travel with her to Brighton, Paris, Istanbul and Paraguay, meeting war criminals, art smugglers, the CIA, and pot-smoking hippies.

Music and sound effects are outstandingly effective, hastening the narrative with just a few bars of concertina suggesting Paris, and some chords on Spanish acoustic guitar implying South America.

Unfortunately, this production has only four actors playing multiple characters, including all four playing Henry and also his aunt. This leads to unnecessary confusion and slowing of the pace.

Greene’s storytelling, while conveying the glamorous atmosphere of exotic travel locations, also relies on multiple coincidences, cartoonish characters, and several suspensions of audience belief.

Will Henry leave his endearingly dangerous aunt and return to his comfortable predictable life with his dahlias ... or will he embrace thrilling Paraguayan risk?

Brendan McCusker

Travels With My Aunt runs until Saturday, and plays Poole’s Lighthouse Theatre from April 28 - 30.