Holly Gow draws on her time working as a GP receptionist for How Can(t) I Help?, a comic piece that expertly manages a tonal turn into a thought-provoking finale.
Stopping off at London before heading to the Edinburgh Fringe, Gow’s debut play uses the best and worst of the typical calls a receptionist gets through the day.
Gary with the manflu. A mother perplexed by a request for her baby to give a urine sample. An unfortunate mix-up between Anusol and Deep Heat. A woman with candle wax in her eye.
Child vomit and poor body hygiene are the in-person issues as Gow’s character starts by pepping up her day with a bop to Wilson Pickett and ends with a heartfelt reflection on the state of an NHS with no appointments and no staff.
From the moment we enter with reception cards announcing ‘don’t contact us like ever’, it’s clear this is going to be an engaging piece, yet it covers depression and dementia (a recurring thread about Maureen, a regular patient) with tact and sensitivity.
Framed by constant phone calls to ‘Flowerbank Surgery’, How Can(t) I Help? allows Gow to conjure up several characters from the abusive to the genuinely concerned.
The world of endless tea drinking, blocked loos, occasional violence, and poo samples is brilliantly evoked in a set that consists of a desk, a chair, and carefully chosen props.
Gow also chooses to break the fourth wall at intervals, assuring ‘I’m not a bitch’ and berating the occasional audience member/patient. She draws on her personal and professional experience while making it relatable.
Despite its early abrasiveness, How Can(t) I Help You? is ultimately empathetic, noting the rise in mental health issues since the pandemic and a service barely holding up through years of neglect.
4 stars.
How Can(t) I Help You? is at the Lion & Unicorn Theatre until 6 Jul with details here.