READING Repertory Theatre has begun its run of Three Hens in a Boat, Camille Ucan’s playwriting debut, inspired by Jerome K Jerome’s Three Men in a Boat.
It follows the exploits of three generations of women, Claudette, Gloria, and Jay, as they navigate the River Thames from Kingston to Henley, each celebrating an upcoming marriage.
The three set out to enjoy their family hen party, expecting a cosy barge and a weekend of partying– but soon find that they will be setting sail, instead, on a skiff.
The play is packed to the rafters with well-crafted gags, bringing the inspiration of the classical original right up to date for the iPhone era, while also taking the time to dig into the emotional relationships between the three women.
Grandma Claudette, played to perfection by Ellen O’Grady, steals the show as her every line sparkles with a caustic, casual wit.
Her playful but barbed teasing means the play is laced through with laugh-out-loud one-liners, not only deftly written, but also performed with joyful aplomb.
While her comedic charm is ever-present, it does also give way to a deeper, more emotive pathos– increasingly so as the play nears its end.
She is well complemented by Verona Rose, who plays her daughter, Gloria, a lively artist who is seeking a weekend of white wine and letting loose.
The character has elements of the hedonistic, bacchanalian Eddie Monsoon from Absolutely Fabulous, but is considerably more grounded, bringing her struggles as a parent and a daughter into sharp, empathetic relief.
Rose has a good eye for physical comedy, carrying some of the play’s more slapstick, outrageous moments with a judicious exuberance, but also holds her own as the events of the play guide her towards introspection.
Rounding out the cast is youngest daughter Jay, played by writer Camille Ucan, who forms something of a straight-woman to the more outlandish characters of her mother and grandmother.
Ucan’s portrayal is considered but casual as the character grounds the opening half of the production in reality, initially keeping the narrative structure together.
As it unfolds however, she is drawn into the ridiculous daftness of her elders, giving Ucan the space to embrace her more exuberant side and flex her comedy chops more overtly.
The play itself pulls no punches, dealing not only with the likes pineapple can struggles and angry otters, but also with more momentous issues such as death, parental regret, sexuality, infidelity, and prenatal anxiety– all with equal pathos and playfulness.
As it enters the second half, secrets between the three begin to come to the fore, and the more emotional beats are impactful in their execution before the play bows out with a joyful, celebratory denouement.
Ultimately, Three Hens in a Boat is not only a genuinely funny and raucous romp along the Thames, but also a celebration of women in all of their silly, shady, sunny, and sometimes solemn glory.
It explores the relationships that the characters have as parents and children, but also as friends and confidants, examining their roles as partners as well as individuals– with much to say about every issue it touches upon.
Overall the play is a deft, impactful three-hander which faces up to its characters’ imperfections and insecurities head-on, while also celebrating their humanity and humour– all the while sporting some phallic, pound-shop deeley-boppers for good measure.
Three Hens in a Boat is showing at Reading Repertory Theatre from Thursday, May 1, to Saturday, May 17.
Full details and tickets are available via: readingrep.com/three-hens-in-a-boat
It is also set to show at the Watermill Theatre, in Newbury, from Thursday, May 22, to Saturday, June 7.
