`The Long Run production image. Photo by Ali Wright`

Written by Eleanor

Disclaimer: Gifted tickets in exchange for an honest review.

Content Warnings: Use of strong language, themes of grief and references to cancer.

The Long Run is self-described as a ‘captivating, joyful comedy about love, cancer and really long journeys.’ It is written and performed by Katie Arnstein and was nominated for an Off West End Award for Best Performance Piece in 2023. It has now arrived at the New Diorama Theatre in London and is directed by their new Artistic Director, Bec Martin. The New Diorama Theatre has always been a great place to see up-and-coming performers and exciting new works and I was very excited to see this particular piece.

In its 70 minute run time, The Long Run is able to tell a beautifully heartfelt and heartwarming story. It is peppered with humour, but also doesn’t shy away from the more gut wrenching moments. This relatively simple yet sweet story is made utterly wonderful by Arnstein’s storytelling. It is both inspiring and entertaining to watch and I came away from the theatre feeling hopeful and uplifted.

The Long Run is centred around on Katie’s mum’s battle with colon cancer and her five week treatment plan in hospital. While waiting for her mum’s radiotherapy and chemotherapy to be concluded each day, Arnstein comes to know each of the other people in the waiting room, most notably an older gentleman who is training for the London Marathon in the hospital corridor.

The first part of the story is told from Katie’s point of view. She beautifully highlights the pain and relentless nature of cancer treatment, but also the humour that can still be found during this time and the hope you can draw from others. I loved her simple yet colourful descriptions of each of the people she met at the hospital. Even with so little, I was able to create such a vivid picture of these characters in my mind and found myself quickly empathising with them. Arnstein is also a wonderful comic storyteller. Her use of words and phrases just elevated every line of dialogue and made it incredibly funny. One example is an incident that occurred during a cancer coffee morning, which made the whole audience laugh out loud. As the story shifts from taking place in the hospital to the actual marathon itself, the narrative shifts slightly. I won’t give too much away, so as not to spoil the show, but I will say that this choice was equally as funny, but also as deeply moving - there were certainly a few tears shed by the end.

Like many stories of overcoming adversity, the long run is both inspiring, an entertaining to watch. But where it particularly succeeds is with its personal angle, uplifting tone and relatively simple story. As well as the narrative itself, I also really liked the use of lighting and sound cues (designed by Holly Ellis and James Telford respectively). It’s really helped create a vivid picture in your mind, even with so little, such as the sound of squeaky shoes on a vinyl floor. It also helped give a visual cue to Katie’s emotional shifts.

Overall, The Long Run is undoubtedly a touching and humorous exploration of love, resilience, and human connection. Katie Arnstein's performance shines as she tells this heartfelt story. The play seamlessly blends humour with moments of reflection, leaving me feeling uplifted and moved by the end.

The Long Run is playing at the New Diorama Theatre from the 29th March 2024 until the 13th April 2024.