Waiting for God - stay calm, age is just a number!

Waiting for God at the Priory Theatre, Kenilworth.

Waiting for God, The Priory Theatre, Kenilworth, from Saturday 20 May to Saturday 27 May 2023.

Review by Heidi Barber.

The popular TV series Waiting for God ran for five series in the early 1990s and now, almost thirty years later writer Michael Aitkens has produced this updated stage version.

Although some things relating to the ageing process haven’t changed very much over the last thirty years, what has changed is the perception of at what age you become officially "old". With Prince Philip still attending to his duties at 95 and Paul McCartney at the age of 80 headlining at Glastonbury for the first time, it seems that age is only a state of mind—that is until the body lets you down.

Set in Bayview Retirement Home, ex-war correspondent / photographer Diana Trent (Sarah Hubbard) is furious at where life has now landed her in a dreary, slow-paced residential home. As a woman who despises the title of senior citizen and all of the stereotypes that go with it she has no intention of slipping into old age quietly and when new resident Tom Ballard (Stuart Lawson) moves in next door, she is quick to judge this boring ex-accountant.

Tom, however, sees his move to Bayview as the next "adventure" in his life and happily "switches off" to indulge in flights of fancy. After one such experience, he tells Diana that he has just been to the moon. “One small step for man; one gigantic leap for Alzheimers” is her caustic, dismissive comment.

Bayview Retirement Home, Waiting for God, Priory Theatre.

It is no surprise that over time, the two residents form an unlikely alliance against the inadequate care home manager Harvey Baines (Mike Tildesley) and have several adventures together which cause him some angst.

At times the play provides a touching insight to Diana’s frustrations. She’s a woman who, through her working years, gained a wealth of experience and knowledge, only to be seen by society now as a frail and incapable individual.

For fans of Richard Osman’s novels based in a retirement home called Cooper’s Chase, the lead characters in this play have similar personalities and Diana’s caustic comments abound throughout the play, exquisitely timed and delivered by Sarah Hubbard and guaranteed to keep the audience (many of whom see the relevance to themselves) in fits of laughter.

Waiting for God at the Priory Theatre, Kenilworth.

Stuart Lawson’s Tom, a totally contrasting character, has his own dry, humorous responses and the chemistry between the actors ensured plenty of laughs as upbeat, optimistic Tom battled against Diana’s cynicism and colourful language.

The relationship between Tom and Diana is excellently portrayed and impressively scripted. Hubbard and Lawson created energy on stage whilst also creating space for reflection on the ageing process.

To book tickets, go to: https://www.priorytheatre.co.uk/