Rookery Nook by Ben Travers,
Theatre by the Lake, Keswick
The new summer season kicks off at Theatre by the Lake with a choice that divides. If you enjoy a good British, early 20th Century farce, as I do, Rookery Nook is an enjoyable night out.
It's not demanding, it's got a quick pace and the double act of Matthew Vaughan and Bryn Holding as Gerald and Clive Popkiss has comic chemistry.
However, a tale of an innocent teenager running away from an abusive stepfather, then being argued over by a group of middle aged men lusting after her and deciding who will ‘take care’ of her in a post-Saville era doesn't feel quite right at times - though this is a very different era.
This is a traditional pre-Second World War II play, first performed in 1926, respectable and playing on the high moral codes of the day. Like rewatching a Carry On movie as an adult you see it through very different eyes. I wondered how my parents could have encouraged me to watch Sid James and the gang, however, the rose tinted glasses of childhood keep the laughter flowing. And this is how to take this production. It's a bit of cheeky British farce - fun for the all the family.
Karen Morley
Rookery Nook runs until November 5
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