“It’s about love and laughter in the fight against cancer” – director Adrian Tang.
What would you do if you knew you only had a few months left to live?
Would you resign yourself to the inevitable? Or would you laugh in the face of death, and make the most of the time that’s left?
That’s the question asked by “Colder Than Here”, an award-winning, heartwarming and surprisingly funny play by Laura Wade that has had successful runs in Soho and New York.
Now it’s being staged by The Studio Theatre Company in Bracknell – building on their reputation for performing bold and controversial plays with relatable themes.
Diagnosed with advanced secondary bone cancer, Myra (played by Ann Paxton) knows she has only a few months remaining. But she’s not going to take this lying down…
Determined to mend the rifts in her splintered family, she soon encounters major problems.
Not only are her daughters Harriet and Jenna (Belinda Duffy and Kate Milam respectively) the polar opposite of each other – one steadfastly focused on clearing out the spice rack, the other on her boyfriends – her husband Alec (Peter Cook) “can’t really do problems”.
Plus: Baggins the cat has gone off with another woman. And the radiator’s broken in the kitchen.
As the autumn draws in, the temptation to stay at home in the warm, perhaps enjoying a film or TV show, is certainly strong – as director Adrian Tang is aware.
“It might not sound like your first choice, if you’re debating what to watch in a few weeks’ time” he says.
But – despite focusing on cancer – the play certainly isn’t a gloomy night out.
“It really shows that humour and lighter moments can be found even in the darkest places”.
“There’s comedy, there are lots of one-liners – because they show how people need to break free from the situation, even if it’s just for a moment”.
And fundamentally, it’s about family, and how they pull together in the face of inevitable circumstances – even if on first appearances, they might not “do problems”.
“If you’re willing to share the journey these characters take, you’ll be rewarded with a powerful piece of theatre”.
With a strong cast and a script that will appeal to anyone who enjoys Alan Bennett, this may well make the case for donning your coat and bringing some light to the darker months.
“Colder Than Here” will be performed from the 3rd – 6th October. Tickets are available at: https://www.southhillpark.org.uk/events/colder-than-here/.
