example22 | Fight Fiercely, Harvard

Everything I ever wanted to say about "why I don't go to college reunions" is encapsulated by Michael Frayn's "Donkey's Years", at the Comedy Theatre.

The play takes place in "one of the smaller courts, in one of the lesser colleges, at one of the older universities" (internal evidence, not least that word "courts", suggests Cambridge), at a 25th anniversary reunion. It's a farce, of course. There are many doors, and much rushing about on- and off-stage. There are lots of laughs, though nothing unexpected. The cast is starry: David Haig, James Dreyfus, Mark Addy.

The plot is driven by the character of Kenneth Snell, who lived "in lodgings, out beyond the railway station". At the reunion, Snell goes somewhat bonkers -- not least because his college contemporaries have no memory of him. To me, this begins to feel closer to documentary than farce, and reminds me of why I socialised outside of college in the first place. Not to mention the reminder that I'm now rather closer to my 25th anniversary than to the original event.

Anyway, my reaction has nothing to do with the play itself, which is a well-crafted and well-acted farce. But I still hated it, when I wasn't laughing.