Three Men In A Boat was written by Jerome K Jerome based on himself and two of his friends  George Wingrave (Who became senior manager at Barclays bank) and Carl Hentschel (founder of a printing business) who becomes the character Harris in the book. Jerome and Carl (Harris) are known to have often taken river boat trips together which I dare say is where some of the ideas in the story came from.

Clive Francis has adapted the staged version now performing at The Mill at Sonning from the original book of the same title by Jerome K Jerome. It’s quintessentially British and you know that these three men in their boating refineries wouldn’t be able to take care of themselves if things became difficult as they don’t appear equipped for survival.

George Watkins takes to the helm as Jerome K Jerome in leading his fellow boat travellers Harris (Sean Rigby) and George (James Bradshaw) to the water for the new adventures that lie ahead. First, the trio need to pack the essentials to make sure they can survive the journey.

The three travellers are accompanied by Montmorency the terrier dog. Whose presence is purely non-fictional in the book, the audience only knows he is present when one of the three characters talks to him and another responds by barking. It’s easy to suspend your disbelief and believe Montmorency is accompanying the three friends on their travels.

There are plenty of recognisable places that the trio visit along the route from Kingston Upon Thames to Oxford. The Mill at Sonning is a perfect location for the play being close to the route they would have travelled.

Staging for the play is based on one main structure that begins as a drawing room where the trio meet to “quaff” Moet and discuss unimportant details of their lives. It opens up to reveal the boat they travel in. Sean Cavanagh’s attention to detail is brilliantly constructed. I especially liked the screen at the rear of the stage which showed the Victorian pictures of the towns and villages they visited.

The pace of the play is set to reflect the movement of the river. As the boat makes its way down towards Oxford. For the main part of the play it’s calm and reflective as the three friends share stories and laughter. However, the pace changes once the elements change and they caught in a storm. There’s also clashes at times with fellow river users who have more powerful boats.

For more information on Three Men In A Boat and future productions at The Mill at Sonning please click on the below.

Four Stars.

https://millatsonning.com/shows/three-men-in-a-boat/

Photography by Andreas Lambis

Cast & Creative
James Bradshaw – George
Sean Rigby – Harris
George Watkins – Jerome K. Jerome

Joe Harmston – Director
Sean Cavanagh – Set Designer
Natalie Titchener – Costume Designer
Mike Robertson – Lighting Designer
Tom Lishman – Sound Designer
Kate Plantin – Casting Director

Jerome K. Jerome’s classic Victorian memoir, Three Men In A Boat has been gloriously adapted by celebrated star of stage and screen, Clive Francis (The Crown, A Clockwork Orange, Entertaining Mr. Sloane) preserving the timeless humour and infusing it with a fresh and vibrant touch for contemporary audiences.

This warm and witty play invites you on an uproarious journey down the meandering waters of the Thames with the delightful trio of friends Harris, George, and Jerome, as they set sail on an unforgettable adventure through the English countryside, each twist and turn bringing a fresh dose of laughter and unexpected encounters. So, pack your bags, grab your oars, and prepare to be swept away by the camaraderie, and mischievous antics of this unforgettable trio, as they navigate not just the river’s currents but the comical currents of life itself.

When in 1889 Jerome K Jerome took his fictionalised friends up the Thames in a rowing boat  –
describing Sonning as being “the most fairy-like little nook on the whole river…more like a stage village than one built of bricks and mortar” – his book was an instant success. Within a year river boating licences had doubled; Jerome had created a lifestyle craze. And the book has never been out of print since…

THREE MEN IN A BOAT
by Jerome K. Jerome
adapted by Clive Francis
The Mill at Sonning
6 June – 13 July 2024