Home, I'm Darling - Altrincham Garrick

NOSTALGIA, we all love an occasional bit of it don’t we? It becomes like a sort of comfort blanket in challenging times.

In my former life as a newspaper reporter, any item we published on the mythical good old days invariably provoked considerable interest among our readers.

But Judy and Johnny have decided to take the nostalgia thing to a whole new level. Their home, their clothes and even the clothes they wear are a homage to the 1950s. Judy, recently made redundant, has happily decided to become an old school housewife, cooking his meals and ironing his shirts.

Johnny, who was talked into this bizarre lifestyle switch by his wife, even drives a 50s car to work.

For me, this is Fiona Primrose’s best performance I’ve seen at this theatre to date. As Judy she captivates and intrigues in equal measure and together with Hamish Macduff as Johnny they are every inch the archetypal married couple, from the disagreements to the doting.

Judy has retreated back to the 50s because it’s an era in which she feels safe and one of the play’s most memorable scenes comes when her mum Sylvia gives her a hefty dose of realism in a bid to make her take off her rose tinted spectacles.

Director Su Mowat must have thought all her birthdays had come at once when she attended the first day of rehearsals and she ably makes use of the talent at her disposal. I particularly enjoyed Paul Cudby’s Marcus and the way the actor has fun with the character’s dubious morality.

Funny, thought provoking and quietly poignant. A play not to be missed.

Until October 7. The box office is on 0161 928 1677 or www.altrinchamgarrick.co.uk.

Star rating - 3.5 out of 5.

Photo by Martin Ogden.