The house on Cold Hill is definitely a fixer-upper, but the problems may not be confined to dry rot or subsidence. There's a history to the place that could be quite overwhelming. And on top of that, Alexa seems to be getting out of control. If you've ever felt that your electronic gadgets had minds of their own, this experience takes matters to a whole new level. Indeed, one has to sympathise with these new owners. The confounding nature of the technical plus that of the supernatural seem to become rolled into one, as their recently acquired home apparently still houses some of its previous tenants! Matt Milburn is a suitably optimistic Ollie, and Madeleine Knight is excellent as his frazzled wife, Caro. Hannah Boyce, as daughter Jade, embodies every snarky teenager you've ever had to deal with. Dan Buckley achieves just the right balance of introversion and condescension as the local nerd, Chris, while Debbie McGee is delightful as the resident hippie and medium, Annie. Alex Marker's set is quite perfect and Keith Myers' direction is deft. The story might sometimes seem thin and the dialogue somewhat verbose, but it is all served up with a lightness of touch appropriate to dinner theatre fare. As always, the meal at The Mill at Sonning is first-rate, and it remains one of our favourite venues for a lovely night out.
Rated: ★★★
Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Andreas Lambis.
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