Opening with the gentle strains of the Celtic harp was the perfect mood setter for this intriguing one woman show about the life of much loved author Frances Hodgson Burnett.
A character who professes herself 'interested in everything', the show likewise touches on a bit of everything in its themes, from the joy of storytelling and the frustration of the writer's craft, to more universal themes like belonging, survival and the confusions of national identity (Hodgson Burnett herself was born in England but moved to the USA and had two American sons).
The actress (unfortunately on both Youtube where the video streamed and the Watford Fringe website I'm unable to source her name) was vivacious and energetic, with a clear love for Hodgson Burnett's books made gloriously evident by frequent twinkling glances to audience while reading extracts from the more popular works such as Little Lord Fauntleroy and The Secret Garden.
It was delightful to see period costume used to help bring us into the world of the play. The otherwise bare set, consisting only of a black folding chair and table against the back drop a theatrical curtain, worked brilliantly in encouraging the audience to focus on the words and stories of the monologue. Considering the subject of the monologue is the writer of more than 52 published books, such a focus was entirely appropriate.
Alongside the Celtic harp were frequent interjections from the accordion, a clever choice which added zest and energy to the performance. It wasn't quite enough to give the performance an overall sense of narrative drive, however. It would be interested to see, if the script is revisited, whether a clearer sense of purpose can be established in the opening moments to generate a more compelling story arch.
New monologues often suffer in comparison to Alan Bennett's Talking Heads, which themselves have been recently revived on television by the BBC and at the Bridge Theatre in London, the cast of one being perfect for the context of the Covid pandemic. It's lovely to see a monologue so different in style that such comparisons would be fruitless. Part biography, part memoir, part literary reading, In The Secret Garden is a sweet-tempered curiosity that thrives in large part due to the energy and charisma of the actress.
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