I was once on a bus in Chile which had in place of the usual Don't Disturb the Driver sign one which read "Dear passenger. Ask for your ticket. It is your life insurance during the trip".
Perhaps it's an appropriate sign for Will Thomas. Today should be his big day, the youngest coach driver in the UK to reach one million miles, but it seems that he is disturbed and less than assured about the route his life has taken. More a mid-lane than a mid-life crisis.
Not that he doesn't have the support of his wife and most of his dysfunctional family of colleagues. One way or another they have plans to celebrate. The "family" is headed by Clive, a man who lives and breathes coaches (don't even mention the B word) to the extent of carrying a photo of a Neoplan Skyliner in his wallet; a place usually reserved for children and sweethearts. He looks after Will like the son he never had and is the dad Will never wanted.
Will initially appears at home in the depot environment, taking part in teasing new-boy Paul as he practices his welcome on-board speech and of Ian (known as English because he comes from a Welsh border town) who seems almost inured to the innate casual bullying of his testosterone fuelled surroundings.
As the prospect of his landmark achievement gets closer, however, the attentions of those around him seems to crystalise his feelings that he has been on a bit of a diversion, moving further away from where he intended to be. Is he now lost?
There is much to like in this well written and produced new comedy, which produces many well-earned laughs. There are good performances all round and Clive, a marvellous creation, blissfully unaware of the consequences of his actions, is played with great comic timing.
As a play it might be better if the reasons for Will's dissatisfaction were revealed more gradually, if he were to unravel slowly. Once divulged there is not much room him to manoeuvre and sections feel a little like they are there to add to rather than flesh out the plot; the vignette with the nerdy tourists, while funny has the impression of a sketch that has been bolted on.
Well worth a ticket and hopefully Velvet Trumpet will be making a return trip next year.
Show times
12-24 (not 18) August 2013, 6.10pm.
Ticket prices
£8 (£6) to £10 (£8).