Review: Blackbird in the Snow, Laurels Theatre
A heart ward. A man in his sixties from the world of showbiz is waiting for an angiogram and keeping the nurses - and his own head - busy with a parade of jokes1.
Safe to say there was much that was familiar to me as the opening hospital scene in Arthur McKenzie’s Blackbird in the Snow played out, thanks to the many stays my late film-making dad enjoyed (and for the most part, he really did) inside the coronary care unit at Newcastle’s Freeman hospital.
In contrast, the atmosphere in the fictional ward in Laurels Theatre couldn’t have been less enjoyable for its two patients as they wait for their heart procedures.
The play centres on two former comedy partners, Bobby and Earl, who find themselves in adjacent hospital beds a decade after their professional partnership ended in bitter fashion.
While Earl has gone on to sample the successes (and excesses) of the big time, complete with Royal Variety Performance appearances, telly slots aplenty and a trio of ex-wives, Bobby has been scraping a living by doing the same to the bottom of the bad jokes barrel around the region’s working men’s clubs.
As their barbed banter unspools from the moment they realise they’re each other’s worst nightmare of a ward mate, so too does the history — and mystery — of what’s happened in the years since they last shared a stage.
Meanwhile flash forward scenes involving the nurse who is looking after them, offer a literal breadcrumb trail (she’s feeding a blackbird as she talks to her late brother from his memorial bench) letting us know that all does not go well.
A last minute cast change saw director Alison Stanley step into the sensible shoes of nurse Sharon, following the withdrawal of Lesley Saint-John due to unforeseeable personal circumstances.
Alison, whose own play T*ts Up recently ran at Laurels, did a really admirable job in portraying the character whose narrative gives the play its shape.
The stand-out performance comes from veteran actor Donald McBride as Bobby. Every sweary exchange crackles with authentic frustration, and McBride’s ability to lace his anger with humour and hurt gives the character real weight.
In addition, his friendship with the late actor and writer, David Whitaker - who co-created the play with former police detective Arthur almost 20 years ago, before a devastating stroke let him unable to work again - adds an extra layer of poignancy.
Bob Smeaton, better known for his music and documentary achievements, gives a solid performance as Earl. While not a seasoned stage actor, his background as a frontman comes through - he knows how to engage a crowd.
Steve Wraith multi-roles as the pair’s unscrupulous agent and an egotistical heart consultant.
The deliberately groan-worthy jokes - told via flashbacks to their heyday as well as throughout their hospital stay - are true to their time and setting. Think social club Sunday specials - or ‘stripper Sundays’ as Bobby calls them.
A few narrative turns might have benefited from clearer signposting, especially in the latter scenes, but the emotional undercurrent holds as the sentimental story plays out - at its best, Blackbird captures the melancholy of faded fame, broken dreams and the bite of unresolved bitterness.
The intimate setting, with around 40 audience members in Laurels’ main space, makes audience engagement crucial - especially during the time-hopping musical interludes. So don’t be shy.
Blackbird in the Snow is at Laurels Theatre, Whitley Bay until May 17. Visit the website for tickets.
While my Dad wasn’t immune from telling the odd terrible joke, he’d want me to say that he also told some absolute corkers