Review: THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY at Theatre Royal Haymarket

The very ordinary Harold Fry at the centre of the show (played with an easy and gentle pathos by Mark Addy), receives an unexpected letter from someone in his dim and distant past (Queenie played by Maggie Service). It acts as a catalyst to future events when, as he is about to mail his inadequate reply, he chats with a young woman at the petrol station (Nicole Nyarambi). Their conversation triggers a compulsion in him to embark upon a journey, ostensibly to help Queenie in her final days at a hospice at the other end of the country. Subconsciously perhaps, he also needs to take himself away – even temporarily -- from the humdrum and emotionally disconnected life he has been living for the past twenty years alongside his wife (Maureen played by Jenna Russell). During his 600mile walk from Devon to the north of England, he meets others, adopts a dog (some great puppet work from Timo Tatzber) and will ultimately get to say thank you for a sacrifice made long ago.

He passes letter boxes, phone boxes (where he checks-in with Maureen who has begun to share her fears for Harold with their widowed neighbour Rex (Peter Polycarpou)), meets a farmer’s wife and telephones the sister at the hospice (both played by Jenna Boyd) whilst developing bruising and painful blisters in the way most religious pilgrims might. On one occasion his feet are treated by an assertive Samaritan (Madeleine Worrall) allowing for a thinly veiled comment about the UK’s need and dependence upon foreign locums. He even shares a toasted teacake at a café with a silver-haired gentleman (Daniel Crossley) who confides that he has fallen for a younger man with whom he has weekly role play sessions – leading to a song and dance routine which brings the house down. Omnipresent throughout the journey, is a balladeer (played by Noah Mullins) who it transpires, is Maureen and Harold’s brilliant but troubled son who took his own life shortly after graduating from Cambridge. Mullins’ beautiful lilting high tenor vocals add an ethereal and otherworldly element to every scene in which they appear.

When a viral post results in internet and media attention Harold’s band of walking companions -- which include those he has inspired like Wilf (Ashley Samuels) and Kate (Gleanne Purcell-Brown) grows to unwieldy proportions, director Katy Ruddsimply deploys the characters as further ingredients in the telling of the tale through the 14 well-crafted songs, often staged with playful choreography courtesy of Tom Jackson-Greaves on a set which is constantly buzzing with movement and props designed by Samuel Wyer. Other cast members who contribute to a terrific overall ensemble effort, include: Craig Armstrong, Nell Martin, Gemma Atkins, Olivia Foster-Browne, Ediz Mahmut and Edwin Ray.

It would be a fair observation that Harold Fry follows a similar narrative format to that of other recent twee and naive musicals, notably Benjamin Button and perhaps to some extent, even Paddington. The makers’ intention is to follow a simple formula – namely outline a situation, engage the audience by introducing likeable characters, throw in an element which will tug the heartstrings and allow to gently simmer. The recipe is nigh-on foolproof and I confess, I am as susceptible to its charms as the next man. Stony-hearted curmudgeons may manage to remain unmoved by an average Joe’s need to do something meaningful in his ordinary and dull life, but the overwhelming majority of audience members will be captivated and enthralled by this show, which has magic at its very core.

Plays until 18th April at the Theatre Royal Haymarket