Three Men in a Boat
I’m going to be completely honest: I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about Three Men in a Boat as a whole. What I do know, though, is that it was epically chaotic, ridiculously funny, and completely entertaining.
This is one of those shows where things seem to go wrong, but rather than ruining the performance, they somehow make the whole experience even better. There were definitely moments that reminded me of The Play That Goes Wrong, although the difference here was that some of the mishaps didn’t appear to be planned. The improvisation was so quick and so good that it became part of the entertainment in its own right.
At one point, one of the characters even came out with something along the lines of, “I can’t believe you did that on press night,” which only made the whole thing even funnier. You could genuinely feel the actors feeding off whatever was happening around them, and that spontaneity gave the performance an energy that worked incredibly well.
Rather than feeling like things were falling apart, it felt like the cast were constantly finding new ways to turn the chaos into comedy — and that unpredictability was a huge part of what made it so entertaining.
The story follows three friends — Jerome, George and Harris — who set off on a boating trip along the Thames, travelling from Kingston towards Oxford. Essentially, it’s a stag do, although definitely not your conventional one. Harris is getting married, and the trip is supposed to give the three friends a chance to spend some proper time together, reconnect and, hopefully, bond before the big day. Of course, absolutely nothing about the trip goes to plan.
From the moment the journey begins, it feels like one disaster after another. There’s camping, terrible weather, arguments, eccentric characters, angry swans, a rather questionable piece of cheese and, of course, Montmorency the dog. What should be a relaxing trip quickly descends into complete mayhem, with the three men somehow managing to make almost every situation considerably worse than it already is.
One of the things I really enjoyed was the dynamic between the three main characters. Despite one of the “men” being played by a woman, Bronté Barbé was absolutely fantastic in the role and fit seamlessly into the trio. All three performers stood out in their own way, with each character bringing their own personality, energy and quirks to the group. Nobody felt like they were simply there to fill a role. They all brought something completely different to the story, and it was their chemistry together that made so much of the comedy work.
I also have to mention the puppeteer, played by Calum Donald-Bruce, because he ended up becoming such a huge part of the show — and in the best possible way. He was absolutely fantastic. At first, you might assume his role is primarily about bringing Montmorency the dog to life, but he quickly becomes so much more than that. He’s constantly involved in the action, adding another layer to both the comedy and the chaos unfolding on stage.
His timing was brilliant, and rather than feeling like someone standing in the background controlling a puppet, he became a genuine part of the group dynamic. There was something so entertaining about watching him seamlessly become part of the madness, and he ended up being one of the standout elements of the production. Montmorency may technically be the reason he’s there, but Calum Donald-Bruce brought so much more to the show than simply being the person behind the dog.
I also really liked the way the story flowed. Despite everything happening on stage, it never felt as though the production had lost its direction. Beneath all the silliness, there was actually a lovely story about friendship, relationships and wanting to make the most of your time together before life inevitably changes. At its heart, it’s simply three friends trying to have one last great adventure together, while life, the river and their own stupidity repeatedly get in the way.
One thing I wasn’t quite as keen on was the music. There were quite a few songs throughout the show and, personally, I’m not sure they were necessary. I didn’t dislike them, but I did find myself thinking that the story and comedy were strong enough to stand on their own without them. Having said that, I did wonder whether the songs were partly there to give the scenery and set a chance to change behind the curtains, because every time a song started, there seemed to be something happening in the background. So, while they weren’t my favourite part of the production, I could understand why they were included.
The audience interaction, on the other hand, was brilliant. This production definitely doesn’t keep the audience at arm’s length. Things come flying into the audience, performers interact directly with people, and at one point they even picked on an audience member and took her bag. There was also a moment involving one of the ladies’ phones that had me thinking, “I’m not sure I’d be quite so happy if that was my phone!” But again, it all added to the wonderfully unpredictable nature of the show.
And really, that is probably the best way I can describe Three Men in a Boat: completely unpredictable.
Things rarely go according to plan, but the cast clearly know how to think on their feet. Whenever something unexpected happens, they embrace it rather than letting it derail the performance. Some of the funniest moments felt as though they came from those little spontaneous reactions, which made the experience feel different from watching something that is performed in exactly the same way every night.
I came away feeling as though I’d been on a very strange journey with three men who probably should never have been trusted with a boat in the first place. I loved the story, I loved the characters, and I loved the sheer ridiculousness of it all. The songs weren’t really my thing, and I’m still not completely sure what I think about every element of the production, but perhaps that’s part of what makes it so memorable. It’s messy, unpredictable and completely ridiculous — but somehow, that’s exactly what makes it work.
If you like comedy that is physical, unpredictable and willing to involve the audience, Three Men in a Boat is definitely one to consider. Just be warned: if you sit in the audience, you may not remain an innocent bystander for the entire evening!
For me, this was a brilliantly bonkers night at the theatre, a chaotic stag do on the Thames that goes about as wrong as it possibly can, while somehow getting everything right.
This show was reviewed on the 23rd September 2026 at the Rose Theatre, Kingston upon Thames where it runs until the 10th October 2026. Tickets available here: Three Men in a Boat — A riotous new comedy | Rose Theatre, Kingston, London
Review written by Sarah Vazquez-Phillips
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Photo credit : Helen Murray
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