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I’m enjoying The Change

06 July 2023 3 years ago250 Views

Bridget Christie in The Change. Photo: Channel 4

Have to admit that I wasn’t initially up for a sitcom about menopause. The Change, Channel 4’s new series, written by and starring the award-winning actor, writer and comedian, Bridget Christie. While it’s important that everyone is finally acknowledging this stage of a woman’s life, at 59-and-a-half, I feel a bit, er, over it. Of course, I have had words with myself.

How many times do we see interesting, midlife women on TV, in main character roles? OK, OK. Happy Valley, And Just Like That, Mare of Easttown – things are improving but we’re still outnumbered by men in their 40s, 50s and beyond. Anyhow. Preconceptions aside, I’m enjoying The Change.

The show is funny and warm – and weird.

I haven’t watched all the episodes but it can get a bit League of Gentleman at times (episode three, the village meeting). But, thankfully it doesn’t bang on about menopause, and the more different types of middle-aged women we see on TV, the better.

Bridget Christie plays Linda, a 50-year-old menopausal mum and retail worker with two teenage kids and a clueless husband, Steve. Having totted up all the minutes she’s spent doing housework and other stuff in a cupboard-full of notebooks ( ‘Sex with Steve: one minute 20 seconds), Linda takes her old motorbike out of the garage (not a euphemism) and decides to reclaim the time she’s owed.

Taking off on a road trip, she ends up living in a scuzzy caravan in a village in the Forest of Dean – this is where it gets a bit Royston Vasey. Christie is supported by other great comedy actors, including: Paul Whitehouse, Tanya Moodie (Meg from Motherland), Susan Lynch (Killing Eve, Happy Valley) and Liza Tarbuck.

And, there are laugh out loud moments, my favourite line so far:

‘The Hulk is the only menopausal role model in the history of TV and film.’

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