Baby Boomer Blues

‘Baby Boomer Blues’ is written and directed by Alan Becher. It is part of the Brainbox Project and is showing, cabaret-style, Downstairs at His Maj at 7.30 weeknights and 8.30 weekends (why so late?).

Bob (Ian Toyne) is having a year off from his photographic work, to relax and develop his artistic skills. His wife, Carol (Michelle Fornasier), works in her own book shop. Carol – vibrant and younger than her years - is desperately in need of a holiday, an exotic one! Bob, being staid and certainly not one for adventure, would rather just have day trips.
They do have a holiday together and it is on this vacation that they discover the true depths of their attitudes to life and their secret desires.

The first half of this play is original and exceptionally funny. Beautifully written and delivered. The pace is fast and the actors’ energy truly exhausting. The second half of this two-hour play is a more serious, but still most entertaining, side.

Often a play which is directed by the writer fails, but with such a talented and experienced director as Alan Becher, the fun was conveyed to the audience with perfection.

Steve Nolan’s design was simple but convincing, and with Lucy Birkinshaw’s lighting captured the mood very well. In the second half of the play, there was a special effect called for, Roly Skender’s sound was most realistic.

A really fun show. A theme with which the older audience will connect immediately. A 100% of the Baby Boomers leaving the theatre must have been wondering if it was their partner who had written the play under a pseudonym. A superb laugh with wonderful performances.