#BrumHour was invited to see Me and My Doll by The Old Joint Stock.
By Julie Wallis
Me and My Doll at The Old Joint Stock
Me and my Doll by Lucy Bird is on at The Old Joint Stock’s theatre just until Saturday. I highly recommend you try to get tickets for this funny, clever, touching comedy with a cast of two.
Kate (Rachel Baker) lives a lonely life, spending all her time at work, where she is under appreciated. Trying her best to be ‘one of the boys’ she agrees to be best man at a colleagues upcoming wedding. Her colleagues buy her a blow up boyfriend and Kate dresses him and talks to him, I don’t think he did much to ease her loneliness, but Kate confides in Doll. Until the day Doll (Thomas Bulpett) comes to life and wants to be Kate’s best friend. He does know all her secrets and is eager to please. After all he is an instant blow up boyfriend and he comes with a satisfaction guarantee.
But Doll does have an ulterior motive! Is it true love, or something altogether more sinister?
As with all performances at the Old Joint Stock. the audience is so up close to the players you feel you are part of the action. On a couple of occasions I was so wrapped up in the story I forgot I wasn’t in an office working with Kate and I’m certain that one day I will talk to the characters.
The simple set consists of Kate’s office desk, a sofa for her home and a couple of boxes scattered around which contain a few props is all that’s needed to complete the illusion that is Kate’s world. I loved this production.
The story subtlety reminded me of Mork from Mork and Mindy or Johnny Five from Short Circuit, sometimes when someone is trying to explain our human ways to someone who doesn’t understand just how daft people can be, the ridiculousness of the situation is compounded.
Me and my Doll is a beautiful story of human frailty told delightfully. Thomas Bulpett is brilliant as the Doll, with innocence shining from his face as he awkwardly comes to terms with his moving limbs and the rules of interaction with Kate.
Me and my Doll is brought to the Old Joint Stock by Paperback Theatre, a Birmingham based theatre group who bring Me and my Doll as part of women’s history month.
This isn’t a sponsored post.
