REVIEW: THE LONG RUN by Katie Arnstein at New Diorama Theatre until 13 April

‘Oozes charm and charisma’ ★★★★

It’s pretty hard, I would think, to write and perform about cancer. There are taboos. You can be overly mawkish. You can be really clinical and, therefore, potentially rather depressing. And you have to consider your audience. In ‘The Long Run’, the hugely talented Katie Arnstein goes for pathos, humour, a touch of flippancy, the odd ‘lump in the throat’ moment - and she wins the (metaphorical) race.

Based on a real life experience - with a sprinkling one suspects of artistic licence - Arnstein’s life is shattered when her wonderful mum Jane is diagnosed with colon cancer. We see Katie and Jane make the same tough daily journey to the Derby Royal Hospital for treatment and we get to know some of the characters whom she joins in the waiting room. There’s the guy who is seemingly always asleep, the person with headphones on etc - and an old man with annoying squeaking trainers who, we find out, is in training for the London Marathon.

Katie gets to know George - and so do we. They exchange some amusing text messages, and she looks to help ‘coach’ him towards running the 26.2 miles. It’s a ‘long run’ and, meantime, Jane Arnstein continues to receive her treatment, often in pain but, as she says, ‘it’s better in the long run’.

The first half of the show is seen from Katie’s perspective whilst the second…..well, there’s a nice (if slightly overly long) ‘surprise’ which further humanises the piece. A nice and neat change of perspective.

I didn’t get to see Arnstein’s previous Edinburgh fringe hit Sexy Lamp and I’m yet to see her BBC Three monologue Wolverine Woman but she is clearly an observer and an orator of the highest order. Here, she takes a really tough personal situation, maintains a level of humanity and the ‘day to day’ and holds the audience through a mixture of Partridge-esque lines, a clear focus on where the story will go and how it will get there, and a winning smile. Arnstein herself oozes charm and charisma - she is a delight to watch. Anyone that can name check Tom Waits and Dead Poets Society with a big slice of Elvis is a winner in my eyes…….

Against a simple but fun set, director Bec Martin allows Arnstein to do her thing without intrusion or complication. Martin, of course, recently took up the role of Artistic Director at The New Diorama theatre and there is no reason why this show shouldn’t follow other success stories championed by this great theatre - Operation Mincemeat, Black Boys….. and Digsi Days.

We’re told in the show that squaring off against cancer isn’t a battle - there are as such no winners and losers. But Katie Arnstein does, in effect, take on cancer and how to talk about it and deal with the every day problems and their outcomes. As a cancer ‘survivor’ myself - dread phrase - there was much in here with which I could empathise.

Thankfully, Jane Arnstein is well and, I think I’m right in saying, featured briefly at the end of the press night show in person to touchingly hold her daughter’s hand. They should be proud of one another.

Images: Ali Wright

THE LONG RUN by Katie Arnstein

New Diorama Theatre 29 March - 13 April 2024

Box Office: https://newdiorama.com/whats-on/the-long-run

Writer & Performer Katie Arnstein Director Bec Martin

TEAM

Writer & Performer - Katie Arnstein

Director - Bec Martin

Sound Designer - James Telford

Lighting Designer - Holly Ellis

Stage Manager - Andrew Hollingworth

Producer - Grace Dickson

Assistant Producer - Rory Thomas-Howes

Reviewed by Paul Maidment