Bothered & Bewildered tackles a difficult topic with care, poise and a dash of humour.
The dramatic comedy written by British playwright Gail Young, featuring the Globe Theatre’s own Lorraine Johnston in her directorial debut, depicts an elderly widow experiencing Alzheimer’s and the effect this has on her surrounding family.
The split stage design between an office space and homely interior was both simple and effective, as well as the use of lighting, although I thought the repetition of sound may have been a bit overused.
The highlight is undoubtedly Kay Masters’ incredible portrayal of Irene, whose performance lays the foundation for the production’s emotional weight.
Her elderly defiance and contempt is instantly relatable to any audience member who has had to contend with a particularly stubborn grandmother.
Both Kelly Phillips as Louise and Laura Wells as Beth are a delight, and it was hard not to get completely sucked into their characters’ lives (and their accents).
Their shared desire to do what is best for their ageing mother — albeit by differing means — was particularly poignant.
Bothered & Bewildered is at its best when the attention is focused on this core trio.
Alison Ayers’ portrayal of author Barbara Cartland — appearing as an imaginary, Barbie-pink fairy godmother figure with a penchant for romance novels — is downright hilarious, with some of the production’s biggest laughs stemming from the characters’ obliviousness to her glamorous presence.
The comedic timing of these scenes was executed to absolute perfection.
While the production is two hours long, it did not feel long until the second act.
Scenes that could have been trimmed and the shifting of the focus away from its strongest characters made the second half a lot less memorable than the first.
Further performances until September 21 at 7.30pm, and Sunday at 2pm.
