84 Charing Cross Road
Review
Delightful glimpse of platonic love
James Roose-Evans adaptation is a fascinating insight into Helene Hanff's 20-year correspondence with a London bookshop. Hanff began her career as a playwright becoming a successful TV script writer and later a notable author. She never married but her book of literary correspondence "84 Charing Cross Road" succeeded as a play both in the West End and on Broadway. At first starring Rosemary Leach & David Swift and later Rula Lenska & William Gaunt, ensuring ecstatic reviews.
The play charts the developing platonic relationship, which started in 1949, when Helene Hanff responds to an advertisement and contacts the London antiquarian bookshop Marks & Co for help in acquiring volumes to add to her collection. Over the next two decades this literary love affair flourishes between the brazen American and the staid and formal shop manager Frank Doel. The relationship blossoms to include the extended family of the shop staff. This long distance friendship included much appreciated Christmas and birthday gifts as well as food parcels to compensate for the post war food shortages in Britain. Despite her promised visit to London for the Coronation, sadly the couple were never to meet.
Not an easy play to stage but John Moore's split set interpretation of the untidy New York apartment with well-thumbed books and the musty bookshop filled with antiquarian tomes, was excellent and crammed with well sourced props.
This is an unusual play, in that there is no dialogue and therefore totally reliant on the two central characters reading out the letters sent from the American playwright to the bookshop manager. The role of the stiff upper-lipped reserved Frank Doel is taken by Peter Colley who gives an excellent performance. Over time his kindly disposition and witty communications shine through as the audience warm to him. The highly accomplished Jeanette Broad superbly negotiates the American accent throughout and is impressive as the feisty character Helene Hanff. Both are well supported by the hardworking shop staff.
Directed by Caz Gilmore, this is a thoroughly enjoyable production of a fascinating and noteworthy play portraying a snapshot of post war post Beatles Britain.
Jill Lawrie
Full marks to the cast and crew of HumDrum’s production of 84 Charing Cross Road
The actors give a touching performance, bringing to life this heart-warming and often funny script with skill.
Peter Colley is perfect as chief buyer of the bookshop Frank Doel, charting the journey of his correspondence from formal tones to frantic horror at sending a sub-par volume. There’s genuine affection with beautiful humanity and truth.
Jeanette Broad is divine as the gin-swigging, literature-loving Helene Hanff. Despite an occasional slip of the accent, she gives a brilliant performance bursting with energy, warmth and excellent comic timing.
There isn’t one weak link in the cast. The bookshop staff are like a family, with a shared giggle here and subtle look there. Claire Stevens’ Cecily Farr is a pleasure to watch as she pulls the audience in like a gossipy friend.
A thoughtfully crafted set gives the actors space to play. Lighting is simple yet effective, and a clever use of music with subtly relevant lyrics gives the show polish.
The director Caz Gilmore and her producer husband Darren have created a touching show. It will make you laugh, cry, and leave you with your theatre tastebuds truly satisfied.
Jennie Rawling
