Growing up in a family dominated by the forces of his religious aunt, Ivy, and his drunken military father, it is not surprising that Kenneth has become a fearful, obsessive rule-follower who cannot fully come to terms with being a gay man. But now that his judgemental father has died, Kenneth is returning to reclaim his family home, and, perhaps, himself. On the way to his past, he picks up a young hitchhiker who represents all the anarchic, sexual power that the older man has been unable to integrate into his life. The question becomes whether Kenneth can develop a balanced, authentic ego in the face of the apparently unrelenting disapproval of society represented by Aunt Ivy and the seductive, but ostensibly destructive, attraction of the young hitchhiker. James Hogan has written a very funny riff on this not unfamiliar tale of the need to find self-acceptance and to establish equilibrium between what Freud once called the superego and the ID. Kenneth's dilemma is brought to life by a very talented cast, and Neil Ashton is hilarious as the neurotic protagonist, while Cormac Hyde-Corrin is spot on as the volatile, yet vulnerable, Rory. As the formidable Ivy, who significantly pilfers Kenneth's clock and other memorabilia, Sarah Moyle puts in a delightfully arch turn. All in all, this is a charming little comedy with some lines that recall Joe Orton. For a thoroughly enjoyable evening of theatre, we'd suggest you catch a ride up the M6, with Northbound Boy.
Rated: ★★★★
Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by Charles Flint
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