The Ha-Ha, by Tom Shakespeare - Colin
Tom Shakespeare pays an homage to PG Wodehouse with his new book, The Ha-Ha. The opening chapters are gloriously Wodehousian with Fred “as sunny as a globally-warmed summer afternoon” and Roddy managing “to be both young and middle-aged simultaneously, like one of the Miliband brothers.” I almost wept with joy when a pig was brought into the story, albeit a much, much smaller one than the Empress of Blandings.
Fred has hired a country house for his fortieth birthday party and invited the few friends and family to whom he is close. Unfortunately, he announces that he’s writing his memoirs – and several of those friends and family feature in some embarrassing revelations. However, Fred also mentions that there is only one electronic copy of the memoirs – on a USB stick in his bedroom – and only one printed copy, currently in Sonia’s bedroom. Unsurprisingly, both go missing and even Fred has to recognise that it looks like an inside job, despite everyone professing to love him.
The overt emulation of Wodehouse becomes much lighter after the first few chapters as the author lets his own light humorous style shine. It struck me as parallel to Wodehouse but Shakespeare’s own. (I can’t describe it as Shakespearian as that would invoke the wrong thoughts – sorry, Mr Shakespeare!) I had the image of the author starting as a pupil of Wodehouse but then graduating to become a fellow author, greeted with great pleasure by Wodehouse in the club bar.
I laughed out loud at many passages but the book also has poignant moments. People are revealed as they really are: some are good and kind, like Polly; some are more self-centred than Fred realised.
Overall, this is a heart-warming book (“feel-good” in trendy parlance) and one that I shall keep to re-read when I need cheering up. And I shall especially re-read the passage containing this dialogue:
‘Would you like to earn a fiver?’
‘Oh yes, please, Aunty Charlotte!’ [Seven-year-old Freya] beamed wide.
‘If you can hit Uncle Roddy on the bum with an arrow, it’s yours.’
I’m sure PG Wodehouse would have bought Tom Shakespeare a G&T as a reward for what happens next.
Colin
