Simon Ward reviews The Boline Inn at the Hope Theatre

For anyone who might be unaware, a boline is a white-handled ritual knife used in Wicca. So, much like The Slaughtered Lamb pub in the 1981 comedy-horror classic movie An American Werewolf In London, the name of the establishment should be a warning to the unwary traveller seeking refuge, that the welcome on offer may leave something to be desired. Apparently oblivious to this, and unconcerned about its remote location, Jane (Cara Dougherty) arrives at the Boline Inn seeking shelter. As the action takes place in the mid-1980s, she is armed with a Sony Walkman and a dictaphone. The Walkman enables her to keep up with all of Madonna’s early hits and provides an irresistible soundtrack to the play. The dictaphone is used to record the findings of her investigations – because she is not on holiday, she is investigating the disappearance of her uncle, for reasons we never quite know.

The inn is run by a collection of eccentric characters, none of whom seem to be particularly suited to the hospitality trade. Betty (Marley Craze, also co-director), who is on the reception desk when Jane first arrives is about as unwelcoming as can be. We are introduced to Val (Grace Mia Harvey), and Caroline (Natasha Jobst, also co-director), who engage in Shakespearean style battles of wits. In the corner sits Old Woman Meg (Eilís Mulholland, who is also the playwright) apparently a Victorian widow all in black, who is occasionally overcome by visions from another world. Finally, Althea (Chloe Stokes), a kind of ethereal spirit who has some kind of hold over them all. In fact, by means of a dumbshow as the play begins, we have already seen each of their gruesome deaths played out before us, so we know that we are in the realms of the macabre. Their deaths have occurred over many centuries, hence why they have the manners and vocabularies of their own era. This does makes for sometimes awkward and confusing dialogues, although those witty battles work quite well.

Jane is dogged in her pursuit of her missing uncle in the face of the obstacles strewn in her path. Too young to be Miss Marple or Jessica Fletcher, she is somewhat reminiscent of Nancy Drew. It is the objective of the quasi-Wiccan crew to thwart her, for example by hiding her mother’s many letters. They want to cut her off from the rest of the world and to bring her round to their worldview, perhaps even to have her join them. We never really get to know what the uncle may have done, but he looks decidedly dodgy in his poster, and we are ultimately indifferent to his fate.

This is an ambitious piece of work, but one which is trying to take on too much. The atmospheric set by Karina Blackhurst is magnificent, though it feels under-used – it would have been exciting to explore more deeply the world suggested by this array of objects. The play has the air of a project where there is an attempt to bring together so many elements – the world of Wicca, 1980s pop culture, the abuse of women through the ages, a murder mystery – that they never quite all gel together. There are too many times when the meaning of the action eludes the audience. As a collective, producers Meadow Report have admirable aims to reclaim women’s voice in theatre. With a more targeted approach they might achieve greater success.

The Boline Inn is running at the Hope Theatre, 207 Upper Street, London N1 1RL until Saturday 13th December