BOOK CLUB at Bread and Roses Theatre and Edinburgh Fringe 17 – 22 August 2026

“It is honest, it is funny, and it is kind.” ★★★★

This must and will begin with praise for the writing. In Book Club, writer/director Kate Bromage has achieved something remarkable, all from following four (sometimes five) near-misfits as they meet with the noble goal of studying prose. That being said, this is not really about the books, with history’s literary greats used principally as a vehicle for chat, booze and themed snackery. But as we trundle after the gang through a series of seasonal vignettes, we realise that this show is far more than the sum of its parts. Bromage gives us beautifully realised characters whose flaws and quiet tragedies are ably revealed alongside moments of brilliant humour.

The performances don’t exactly hurt.

Joanna Dodd is brilliant as Generalissimo of Organised Fun Linda, who priggishly attempts to mould the group in her image. Nitpicky and obsessed with procedure, Linda is a reminder that in every Brit lurks the heart of a County Councillor. But she is far more than a pastiche and Dodd excels in carefully bringing out the doubt and loneliness that have made Linda who she is.

She finds her foil in fellow PTA Lieutenant Gemma, played by a wickedly funny Ailsa Wright, whose consistent goal throughout is to resist Linda’s suburban autocracy. Wright too, is comfortable with playing to depth, and far outstrips comic relief status, as she slowly uncovers Gemma’s vulnerabilities and carefully held dreams, hidden behind the laughs. She truly sees the club for what it is, an opportunity for friendship and togetherness and Wright and Dodd sparkle in their alternate knife plunging. But even in this most fractious of the play’s relationships, we sense a deep friendship and need for one another.

The inclusion of teacher, James (a superb Joe Waterfield) whose job earns Linda’s toadying, cements this feeling. Waterfield is a magnetic presence on stage and a driving force behind the ultimate closeness of the characters. Resisting Linda’s attempts to play resident intellectual, he neatly showcases the genuine joy felt in finding and nurturing new friendships. A perfect choice.

For the previews at Bread and Roses Theatre, there is a slight amendment to cast, and Bromage herself stands in as just-happy-to-be-there devoted “dog mum” Susan. The show does not suffer, for she is marvellous. Naïve and most easily cowed by Linda, Susan offers plenty of opportunities for laughs but Bromage (while her timing is impeccable) does far more than that, making the character stunningly real.  

And then, Colin Sheehan as Linda’s poor, energetically sidelined husband Bob. Despite relatively little stage time and few lines, Sheehan’s performance is nuanced and memorable. Affably rictus grin in place, Sheehan shines as perhaps the club’s only true (albeit quiet) bibliophile, doomed to scurry between what he wants and what Linda demands. To those born in the Cameron years, this is the definition of a Golden Retriever Boyfriend.  He offers a powerful humanity to proceedings, and his and Linda’s relationship, initially played for laughs, gives way to a meaningful partnership. As Linda’s own quiet insecurities are revealed, this relentless, supportive love is deeply affecting.

Altogether, the chemistry between the actors is remarkable and Bromage’s direction must be praised.

This is undoubtedly a comedy and there are plenty of genuine laughs but in Book Club, the cast have conjured something deeper. The characters are real, their vulnerabilities defined, somehow only enhanced by the gentleness of the premise. Despite the difference in form, this reviewer could not shake a reminiscence of Mackenzie Crook’s Detectorists. Not just the comparative hobbyism but a peculiar Britishness, a love for place, and the beauty of basic friendship.

There was the odd dropped note but nothing that couldn’t be ironed out in the journey up the A1.  This show is built for Edinburgh and truly deserves every success. It is honest, it is funny, and it is kind. To Auld Reekie then.

BOOK CLUB at Edinburgh Fringe 17 – 22 August 2026

BOX OFFICE https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/book-club

Written and directed by Kate Bromage

Cast: Ailsa Wright, Colin Sheehan, Joanna Dodd, Joe Waterfield and Kate Bromage

Photography: Michael Johnstone