Frankland and Sons, touring

Frankland and Sons, Camden People’s Theatre and The Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society

reviewed for The Spectator, 9 February 2012

John and Tom Frankland

A wholesome gem from the London Fringe transfers to Cornwall this week, in the form of father and son double act Frankland and Sons.

Both Tom Frankland and father John are born performers, and the show is a colourful dance through their family history that feels like a jovial children’s birthday party, with hints of balloon magic, vaudeville and fancy dress.

But what’s refreshing about Frankland and Sons is just how essentially English this snapshot of 20th Century history is. This is Middle England through three generations of wartime stoicism, domestic silences and staunch stiff upper lips. If the twist in the tale isn’t nearly the surprise its creators seem to think (watch the dates in the opening family timeline and draw your own conclusions) it’s because John Frankland’s family secret is a trauma he holds in common with plenty of families.

If there’s a moment that rings true above all others, it’s when he acknowledges that we all, deep down, know our parents’ secrets, even if we’ve never heard them voiced. Yet it’s subtly, sweetly done and deserves to pack in audiences in Cornwall. With any luck, it will be given a much broader tour in the future.

Frankland and Sons appears at The Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society on 10th February at The Acorn, Penzance, on the 11th.