Old Herbaceous - A Nostalgic Monologue of a Life Well Lived

Giles Shenton in Old Herbaceous. Photo by Mark Turner of Mark Makes Photos.

Old Herbaceous. Produced by Giles Shenton Productions. Written by Alfred Shaughnessy. Directed by Simon Downing. With Giles Shenton as Herbert Pinnegar. At The Bear Pit Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, for two nights only – 1 and 2 November.  

Review by Charles Essex.

Pottering in his greenhouse, Herbert Pinnegar reminisces on his life in a West Country village, as a baby foundling, and then boy and man, as undergardener through to head gardener. In this nostalgic monologue, Giles Shenton brings Herbert to life with gentle reminiscences. Although he had limited education and would have been heading for unskilled labouring work, Bert’s teacher encouraged his interest in flowers and plants, and when leaving school, the lady of the manor Mrs Charteris takes him on to work with her head gardener.

Giles’s physique is ideally suited to portray Bert’s jovial nature, content with his lot in Life provided he has his plants.  Despite the difference in social standing between him and Mrs Charteris, she respects his knowledge and experience and as Bert describes this, we see him grow in confidence. The confidence in him shown by his teacher and his employer sees him blossom just as his plants do. The pinnacle is being selected as head judge of the county flower show.  Giles depicts Bert’s delight with an even broader smile.

Giles Shenton as Herbert Pinnegar, Old Herbaceous. Photo by Mark Turner of Mark Makes Photos.

The set is a wonderful depiction of the general bits and pieces that a gardener would have around him – much loved tools, dibblers, plant pots and peat. Giles cleverly keeps us engaged not only with an endless supply of anecdotes, but he goes about his gardening tasks in the greenhouse at a slow but steady pace, potting seedlings, sharpening tools, and, inevitably, drinking tea from a thermos. His movement around the stage is an ideal complement to the stories, which he tells as if we were sitting on a spare stool in the corner whilst he goes about his business.

Bert’s employer becomes a widow and then gently declines physically and cognitively. Giles communicates the passing years in his tales with a growing but reluctant acceptance of her decline and his face, demeanour and posture enhance Bert’s sadness, especially as, at his last meeting with Mrs Charteris, she did not recognise him.

We can feel the joy Bert brought to others. Giles renders his life as a life well-lived, so there is not gloom at the end as his demise is cleverly evoked by his diminishing breathing and dimming of the lights.

Discover more dates for Old Herbaceous: https://gilesshentonproductions.co.uk/old-herbaceous

See what else is coming up at The Bear Pit Theatre: https://www.thebearpit.org.uk