Written by Jill Hyem, We’ll Always Have Paris follows three former boarding school friends, reunited after forty-ish years in the city of Paris. It is refreshing to see a production, particularly a romantic-comedy, where the protagonists are three women in their mid-60s, and the show truly feels like a celebration of life in the ‘third age’. It’s worth noting that all theatre tickets include a delicious two-course meal in the onsite restaurant, which we think is a pretty good offer, Besties!

The production is directed by The Mill’s very own Managing Director Sally Hughes, who must be a very busy (and impressive!) woman. She clearly knows her audiences well, as evidenced by the full auditorium and the level of laughter throughout the show. The humour in We’ll Always Have Paris is reminiscent of a traditional British sitcom, bringing to mind classics like Birds of a Feather and ‘Allo ‘Allo. It’s a gentle romp, with a timeless plot line of characters travelling to another country in a bid to find themselves. There is little fresh about the story, but that does make the show feel cosy and familiar, which seems to go down well with the audience. 

The cast of five perform the piece well. There is visible chemistry between each performer, and they excel at physical comedy, so good choices all round from casting director Kate Plantin CDG. 

Debbie Arnold is hilarious as Raquel, an archetypal cougar with a love of high heels, tight dresses, and a blonde beehive that would rival AbFab’s Patsy Stone! It is a treat for the audience whenever she appears, heels in hand. 

Elizabeth Elvin’s performance captures the authority of retired headmistress Nancy, whilst also showing a softer side towards Anna. A highlight of her performance is the running gag of swapping English/French idioms with Charlot. 

Natalie Ogle and Richard Keep share great chemistry as the shy and sweet Anna and the effortlessly charming French handyman Charlot, respectively. Ogle’s transformation from timid and retiring to a confident independent woman is delightful to watch, with special mention to Anna’s stylish Parisian makeover from costume designer Natalie Titchener, which makes the audience gasp in appreciation when revealed. Keep is effortlessly charming as Charlot, with an authentic French accent, and audiences cannot help but warm to the cheeky Frenchman with a fondness for flirting.

Basienka Blake completes the cast as the fiery French landlady Madame Bouissiron, the main antagonist of the play, who simply cannot abide the English women having fun. Blake’s French is impeccable, and she does a great job of commanding the stage in her brief appearances. 

Sally Hughes’ direction makes good use of Michael Holt’s intricately designed set of a spacious Parisian apartment … albeit one with particularly bad plumbing, based on the plot! The set works nicely with Graham Weymouth’s lighting, and we were particularly drawn to the twinkling Eiffel Tower in the corner of the window, which appeared during night-time scenes. 

We’ll Always Have Paris delivers a charming message about the importance of friendship and living life to the full. The show is sweeter than a French pâtisserie and audiences leave the theatre with a renewed ‘joie de vivre’ ... as the Parisians might say! 

*** Three stars

Reviewed by: Kirstie Ewer

We’ll Always Have Paris plays at The Mill at Sonning until 11 March, with tickets available here.