Three men in a boat

Jerome K. Jerome's novel, Three Men in a Boat, it is hard to believe, was first published in 1889. For decades it was one of the most popular of humorous novels. Its humour lies in the ability of the author to spot the idiosyncrasies of humen nature, even his own, and to laugh at them. And human nature has not changed much since then.

The novel has not dated in the sense that, three men taking a trip up river, today, might fare much the same as our three heroes here. The scenery has changed a lot, of course, but we still see inexperienced campers struggling to put up frame tents, and asking if they can borrow a tin-opener, because they have forgotten theirs.

The kind of nostalgia that the novel evokes is evidenced in the fact that, even today, groups of enthusiasts set out to try to retrace the journey taken here.

This dramatic reading, for three speakers of course, if it does no more, may, i hope, remind us of the adventures in the original.