Captain Oates' Left Sock *** TNT

Radio scriptwriter and playwright John Antrobus’s brief two week stay in a mental hospital obviously made quite an impression on him and inspired this amusing but critical account of group therapy in the late 60’s.

The Finborough’s padded bench seats have been stripped away and replaced with plastic chairs arranged in a circle and colour coded — for psychiatric patients and staff, and for the audience. With fifteen of the former and space for a mere twenty of the latter, this show certainly isn’t going to make much money, but it does give something of the feel of the methods thought to be beneficial in the care of the psychologically troubled four decades ago, when ECT was still acceptable but, mercifully, on the way out.
Among the disturbed voluntary patients are young David (his barely controlled anger directed at the non-committal Dr. Parks), placatory Celia (in cosy slippers and droopy cardigan) and kind, elderly Molly who just wants to know when she will be discharged. Indecisive musician Fergy can’t stand the noise of his own music, whilst Carter’s immaculate exterior and middle class tones belie a deeply troubled psyche.
Antrobus (who worked with Spike Milligan and on the Carry On films) doesn’t really know where to go with the characters he has created and ends on an unconvincing note, but the performances are disconcertingly realistic and the play opens the door on what it was like to air one’s emotional problems in public long before TV hosts took on the role of small screen psychotherapists.

Finborough Theatre, Finborough Road, SW10 (0844 847 1652) Until January 31, £13 (£9 Tuesdays)