Old Herbaceous, starring Giles Shenton

Old Herbaceous

Saturday 15th October at 7.30                 Sunday 16th October at 2.30

Tickets:  adults £14, children/students £10

Starring Giles Shenton, Directed by Simon Downing

Produced by Andrew D Brewis 

Play by Alfred Shaughnessy from the novel by Reginald Arkell

“One very talented actor, Giles Shenton as Herbert Pinnegar (Old Herbaceous), keeps us engrossed, entertained, amused and emotionally engaged for an hour and a half as a gardener in a potting shed… who knew that would work? A wonderful production: funny, emotional, touching, instructive: as it’s been dubbed : ” Downton Abbey with gardening tips” ( and some cookery ones too!)…and an acute and sometimes hilarious observation of relationships between the classes in a gentler, simpler age. As the song goes, “ Sometimes life can taste so sweet, when you slow it down.”

“Old Herbaceous is a story of one man working at the the same gardening job for all his working life.  He sees the world change from a Victorian age through Edwardian to a modern world in 1970 when the play is set.  Although it is the story of one manʼs life, it encompasses  many different stories and sub-plots.  It has been a joy to discover this manʼs journey, which centres around a platonic, unrequited love story across social boundaries.  It is basically UPSTAIRS, OUTSIDE, rather than UPSTAIRS, DOWNSTAIRS.  Above all it is a look at a world that no longer exists and a nostalgic yearning to return to a way of life gone forever.  What surprised me most was how moving the piece is.  So bring your tissues,you may need them.”

Old Herbaceous poster

Get a 10% discount on food at The Duke and Goose (Bishopsmead Parade) by showing your tickets for that day’s performance.

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