The Gnome King reviewed Father! Father! Burning Bright by Alan Bennett
Review of 'Father! Father! Burning Bright' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
This play is a new one on me and I really enjoyed it. The main character Midgley is a very morose chap, he has never lived his life, he is married to a woman who hates him, he is distant from his own son and feels he has always let his father down. When his father has a stroke and is in hospital in a coma on his death-bed, Midgley decides he will wait by his side to be with him at the end, he is determined to not let down his dad this time.
Even though the book is set in the ICU surrounded by grief there are still quite a few laughs here...none of them by Midgley...and that's the great part about this book, Midgley is a brilliant straight man, throughout he keeps his composure whilst his family cause chaos.
I do have one issue, it would have …
This play is a new one on me and I really enjoyed it. The main character Midgley is a very morose chap, he has never lived his life, he is married to a woman who hates him, he is distant from his own son and feels he has always let his father down. When his father has a stroke and is in hospital in a coma on his death-bed, Midgley decides he will wait by his side to be with him at the end, he is determined to not let down his dad this time.
Even though the book is set in the ICU surrounded by grief there are still quite a few laughs here...none of them by Midgley...and that's the great part about this book, Midgley is a brilliant straight man, throughout he keeps his composure whilst his family cause chaos.
I do have one issue, it would have been much better if it was longer, there isn't the time for Midgley's relationship with the nurse to develop properly, you're just left having to accept things have happened. Still, it was a good read and I'd love to see this on stage.
Blog review: felcherman.wordpress.com/2020/01/22/father-father-burning-bright-by-alan-bennett/