The Hub at St Mary’s, Lichfield | 1st February 2026
Review by Tom Roberts
Those of a certain vintage will remember with great affection the beautifully delivered sketches and songs of Joyce Grenfell. Her crystal-clear, “jolly hockey sticks” diction, combined with a natural ability to engage her audience, provided a much-needed tonic in the immediate post-war years, when people were undoubtedly in need of light relief.
Her hugely popular revues and solo shows soon led to opportunities on screen, most notably in the much-loved St Trinian’s film series, securing her place as one of Britain’s most distinctive comic performers.
In Ode to Joyce, actress Cheryl Knight captures Grenfell’s wit and wisdom perfectly, delivering a carefully chosen mix of classic songs and monologues, sensitively accompanied on piano by Paul Knight. There are plenty of laughs, as expected, but also moments of deeper reflection that offer a touching insight into the woman behind the humour.
The production is simply staged, but that is all it needs: a table, a coat stand, a couple of chairs and a telephone. The telephone is used to particularly powerful effect in a scene where Joyce attempts to placate a suitor while keeping an anxious eye on her ailing father in the next room. It is a tender, quietly moving moment that adds emotional depth to the lightness of the wider programme.
Looking around the audience, there were many who clearly remembered Joyce Grenfell first-hand. But among them were also younger faces, curious to discover more about a pioneer of female comedy who paved the way for performers such as Victoria Wood, French and Saunders, and Patricia Routledge.
The production sat perfectly within the beautiful surroundings of The Hub at St Mary’s, offering further proof that the venue can host intimate theatre and drama as confidently as it does its extensive music programme.
A wonderfully crafted piece of theatre, delivered with pinpoint precision.
A masterclass.
For more information, visit www.odetojoyce.com
