i have often believed that if anything is troubling or worrying you, then a good walk in the open air is about the best way to sort out your problems. I had never, however, thought of walking from Devon to Berwick-upon-Tweed, but then Harold had a lot on his mind.
This is the story of Harold (Mark Addy), a man in his sixties who, grieving from the drug-induced suicide of his son, has taken to the bottle as a painkiller to assuage the guilt he feels for not being a better father. A letter coming out of the blue from an old friend who is dying of cancer awakens his conscience and gets him thinking. He composes a reply and sets off to post it, but passes the postbox and just keeps on walking, having persuaded himself that so long as he keeps on, he is keeping his friend alive.
He has promised that he is coming and determined to stick to his word. Not something you would expect to transfer to the stage and a musical at that, but it has just had its world première at Chichester’s Minerva Theatre, and a more joyous and uplifting show would be hard to find. The characters are drawn so meticulously and so true to life that the audience follow them every step of Harold’s walk, feeling what they are feeling
Many people join Harold along the way, and young Jack Wolfe, complete with guitar, is the Balladeer, a strolling player, with Passenger’s music and lyrics telling the story as it unfolds, beautifully composed and superbly performed by seven expert musicians. Sharon Rose’s Blue Haired Garage Girl encourages Harold to have faith in his aim, and he will be able to "Walk upon the Water", and who could not sympathise with the forlorn lament of Jenna Russell’s bewildered and lonely abandoned wife Maureen who sings heartbrokenly "A Tin of Soup for One".
Originally written as a radio play around 20 years ago, the story is now bang up to date with today’s problems included, and of course social media has a part to play with a wildly excitable Wilf (superb performance from Tarinn Callender) spreading the news of Harold’s walk to all and sundry—not to Harold’s liking. More helpful was a kind woman—a doctor in her own country, but here can only get a job as a cleaner—happily, she had kept her medical equipment to attend to his now blistered feet.
Dancing is wild and wonderful and as varied as the characters, appearing spontaneous but perfectly choreographed and superbly performed by this amazing cast. Even the dog has a part to play; managed by Timo Tatzber, it is almost real.
This most unlikely of musicals turns out to be real gem—hilariously funny, but also not missing the tragedies of life and how we deal with them. Katy Rudd’s production fully deserved the very enthusiastic standing (and vocal) ovation. Fabulous!