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Bill – Lantern Theatre

Janice Sampson’s locally set debut play Bill faced a sold out and enthusiastic crowd at the Lantern Theatre on Saturday. 

Set in a doctor's surger, bill introduced us to five seemingly unconnected characters whose paths converge over the course of a succession of revelations and realisations.  There are shades of Alan Bennett in Sampson’s monologues and for in the most part they tread the right line between comedy and pathos.  None more so than the final scene of Act One, which featured a drunken take on aerobic videos that must rank as the funniest ten minutes of theatre you’ll likely see. 

Wonderfully written and acted, this first act brought the curtain down with people rolling in the aisles. The second act is more uneven and in weaving together several intricate plot lines, the play occasionally threatens to unravel instead.  When it works though - as with a tremendous exchange between Bill and his Sister - Bill reminds us of the simple absurdities that exist in everyday life.  The other message here is the connections that can exist in people, often without them even realising it.  This is especially true in Sheffield, a city long seen as a series of interconnected villages where it’s impossible to go out without stumbling upon someone you know.