Theatre review: Three Men in a Boat at Theatre Royal Windsor

Starring Anna Westlake, David Partridge, Michael Rouse and Tom Hackney and directed by Craig Gilbert, it promises to take the audience on a hilarious adventure. 

How do you take an audience on a jaunt along the Thames, from the confines of a theatre stage?

This adaptation by Craig Gilbert of the well loved classic by Jerome J Jerome comes up with a clever ruse. Set it in a pub where the three bachelor boaters - plus their (china) dog Montmorency - are describing their holiday adventure to a meeting of the local geographical society (that’s us, the audience).

The original 1889 story introduced us to three fellows who were full of mischief and camaraderie as they gave us a lighthearted travelogue on boating holidays.

Here there’s less about the river and the towns they pass through (though we do have a stop at Marlow). The focus is all on the interplay between the three characters - plus dog - as they recall their tale.

The result is a madcap romp, with a mix of music-hall song and dance, fast and furious antics, slapstick tumbles, corny gags, and a touch of panto. The three friends - Tom Hackney as Harris, David Partridge as J and Michael Rouse as George - perform the fast-paced choreography of tumbles, chases and songs with perfect timing.

Tom Hackney’s Harris raises lots of laughs as, with just a change of hat - and lots of body language - he becomes the housekeeper or a highland innkeeper.

In true panto style the dialogue is happy to veer from Victorian England with comic references to U2 and the Titanic film, and a game of poker morphing into a hilarious re-enactment of High Noon.

The staging and lighting are smart, with the traditional pub interior elaborately packed with period detail. Objects on stage then become improvised props for the story-telling, with table and chairs  turned on their side to become the boat.

In this latest version of The Original Theatre Company’s stage play there’s an effective additional character, Nelly (Anna Westlake). A pianist, she was expecting to give a piano recital in the pub that evening. When the three blazer boys take over she is drawn in to provide background music and sound effects for their antics, plus the backing for a lovely folk song.

If you fancy brightening February with an out-of-season panto romp and a touch of latterday music hall hilarity, this could be your show.

Three Men in a Boat continues at the Theatre Royal until Saturday February 28. Tickets range from £13 to £35, available online at www.theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk or by calling the box office on 01753 853 888.