“Bonding” is a tale as old as time, fathers and sons, relationships, trust, and breakdowns.  Cyril Blakes show removes the sticking plaster on the relationship between young Stephen Lewis and his dad, when the one thing they have in common is their love of a good James Bond film.

From a very early age, he’s loved playing the super spy, all throughout his childhood his mum would think up a new mission for him to complete and whenever a new film was released, he’d go to the cinema with his dad and “Bond”.  In his Pierce Brosnan tuxedo, Stephen regales about how he never quite measured up to his fathers’ high expectations.  He has a jacket on stage for each of the Bonds, from Sean Connery right through to Daniel Craig. It’s a time to reminisce about who your favourite was and how over the past 60 years, Bond has played a part in so many of our lives.

I’m not entirely sure what “Bonding” was going to be about, but vulnerability, and toxic masculinity wasn’t on my dance card. It’s a well written, well performed, entertaining show, but not what I was expecting, Mr Bond!

*** 1/2

Reviewed by Gavin

Studio 5 at Assembly George Square Studios

15.10 to 16.10

Until 24th Aug