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Live Show, Drink Included
For the stories in this collection Vicky Grut takes inspiration from a range of often ordinary situations and explores how easily things can go awry or take an unexpected turn.
Be prepared to be not only entertained but also taken by surprise when reading the fourteen mini-novels in this collection.
Be prepared to be not only entertained but also taken by surprise when reading the fourteen mini-novels in this collection.
- GenresShort Stories
170 pages, Paperback
Published October 5, 2018
About the author
Vicky Grut
3 books5 followersVicky Grut’s short fiction has been included in new writing anthologies published by Picador, Granta, Duckworths, Serpents’ Tail and Bloomsbury in the UK and by Harvard Review in the USA. One of her stories was translated into Mandarin for a dual language anthology in China. Her novel Human Geography was shortlisted for the 2017 Caledonia Novel Award. She has worked in community arts, as a freelance book editor, and as a creative writing lecturer for the Open University, London South Bank University and the University of Greenwich. She reads for the manuscript critiquing agency The Literary Consultancy. Her collected stories are published on October 5th 2018 by Holland Park Press. She is currently working on a creative nonfiction travel book.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 4, 2018
This is a collection of rare beauty, insight, and empathy.
Many of Vicky Grut’s characters find themselves in a no-man’s-land that opens up in the midst of their otherwise ordinary lives. Certain characters are reaching for something that seems beyond their grasp, while others are attempting to outwit Fate or to attain a kind of significance in a society intent on demeaning them.
One of the most moving stories, 'Into the Valley', applies great delicacy of feeling to the subject of death and our determined struggle against it, while in 'Stranger' a lost soul who has spent his day attempting to meet various men who weren’t there meets “expressions of concentrated blankness” on the top deck of a London bus.
In stories such as 'In the Current Climate' 'Downsizing' 'Saucers of Sweets' and 'Mistaken' Grut makes inventive use of various dystopian aspects of the workplace. 'Saucers of Sweets' provides a sharp, often hilarious, dissection of the power play between writers and their editors. The author’s gift for concise, arresting descriptions with a gothic twist is apparent in the “predatory-looking flowers” on an office desk, while Laura’s resolve to “look for a job that didn’t cost so much, something where you didn’t need to smile so hard or give so much of yourself to people who were only passing through” will be familiar to anyone who has ever worked in a service role.
A personal favourite in this very strong collection is 'An Unplanned Event', a wonderful biopic of a story, rich in humour and pathos. Eric has been doing the garden of Mrs M, a former head teacher, ever since “the Croydon business” left him with “a head injury and no job” three years before. The story is grounded in its impeccable evocation of Eric’s work— surreptitious chopping back of invasive favourites, ‘no-go’ zones, gardening as warfare — and in the lovingly-sketched cast. But this is Eric’s story, and his forlorn history leeches out in flashes of detail: foster care, a children’s home, a stint in the army, intense loneliness and the conflation of violent and affectionate physical contact in his relationship with Stu. And then, the moment when the story turns — “a low hum, like a Flymo skimming across some faraway lawn” — followed by a transcendent passage in which “his eyes turned inwards” and the story reaches its conclusion in “a great ocean swell of happiness”. Wonderful writing, and as glorious an ending as I’ve read in a long time.
There are fourteen stories in this excellent collection, and not a weak one among them. Highly recommended.
Many of Vicky Grut’s characters find themselves in a no-man’s-land that opens up in the midst of their otherwise ordinary lives. Certain characters are reaching for something that seems beyond their grasp, while others are attempting to outwit Fate or to attain a kind of significance in a society intent on demeaning them.
One of the most moving stories, 'Into the Valley', applies great delicacy of feeling to the subject of death and our determined struggle against it, while in 'Stranger' a lost soul who has spent his day attempting to meet various men who weren’t there meets “expressions of concentrated blankness” on the top deck of a London bus.
In stories such as 'In the Current Climate' 'Downsizing' 'Saucers of Sweets' and 'Mistaken' Grut makes inventive use of various dystopian aspects of the workplace. 'Saucers of Sweets' provides a sharp, often hilarious, dissection of the power play between writers and their editors. The author’s gift for concise, arresting descriptions with a gothic twist is apparent in the “predatory-looking flowers” on an office desk, while Laura’s resolve to “look for a job that didn’t cost so much, something where you didn’t need to smile so hard or give so much of yourself to people who were only passing through” will be familiar to anyone who has ever worked in a service role.
A personal favourite in this very strong collection is 'An Unplanned Event', a wonderful biopic of a story, rich in humour and pathos. Eric has been doing the garden of Mrs M, a former head teacher, ever since “the Croydon business” left him with “a head injury and no job” three years before. The story is grounded in its impeccable evocation of Eric’s work— surreptitious chopping back of invasive favourites, ‘no-go’ zones, gardening as warfare — and in the lovingly-sketched cast. But this is Eric’s story, and his forlorn history leeches out in flashes of detail: foster care, a children’s home, a stint in the army, intense loneliness and the conflation of violent and affectionate physical contact in his relationship with Stu. And then, the moment when the story turns — “a low hum, like a Flymo skimming across some faraway lawn” — followed by a transcendent passage in which “his eyes turned inwards” and the story reaches its conclusion in “a great ocean swell of happiness”. Wonderful writing, and as glorious an ending as I’ve read in a long time.
There are fourteen stories in this excellent collection, and not a weak one among them. Highly recommended.
April 3, 2026
All life is in the 14 stories contained within the 170 pages of Live Show Drink Included.
There is romance at all of its stages, jobs won, and jobs lost, people at the end of their rope, or the beginning of a new phase in life, people dying, and the broader repercussions that have on their family and friends.
In the Current Climate looks at the effect on a workforce during a recession, and the sudden interruption of security officers escorting office manager Elaine from the office. A takeover has changed the dynamic of the office, and whatever Elaine has been up to, no good can ever come of it.
Debts examines the impact an unwelcome envelope can have, and during an uncomfortable family gathering, things quickly escalate until an agreement of sorts is reached. In Escape Artist, a struggling actor is offered an exciting, lucrative opportunity, but has to weigh up the cost and toll it will take on the rest of her life.
The title story, Live Show Drink Included, is about a couple enjoying a trip to London and finding a show that doesn’t live up to anyone’s expectations of the theatre.
Saucers of Secrets is set in a book publisher, and a lowly worker has a book, and an author foisted on her by management. The story looks at the love of literature and storytelling, whilst also intricately weaving in other elements of human behaviour.
Stranger is a very short story that examines what happens when two strangers meet on the top deck of a bus.
Visitors looks at the unfulfilled life of Hazel, a single mother who named her son Brando, and looks to Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton for guidance in her downtrodden life. On The Way to the Church is a story about a couple travelling, only to be waylaid by a friend’s record collection. Emotionally, the last story in the collection, Into the Valley packs the biggest punch. Grace is dying, and as her daughter-in-law visits her in the last week of her life, we see a lifetime of love, tender caring and regret unfolding.
The stories are all well-written and hang together very well as a collection. There is pathos and humour here, as the stories examine the pleasures and pains of life in new and increasingly unusual ways.
There is romance at all of its stages, jobs won, and jobs lost, people at the end of their rope, or the beginning of a new phase in life, people dying, and the broader repercussions that have on their family and friends.
In the Current Climate looks at the effect on a workforce during a recession, and the sudden interruption of security officers escorting office manager Elaine from the office. A takeover has changed the dynamic of the office, and whatever Elaine has been up to, no good can ever come of it.
Debts examines the impact an unwelcome envelope can have, and during an uncomfortable family gathering, things quickly escalate until an agreement of sorts is reached. In Escape Artist, a struggling actor is offered an exciting, lucrative opportunity, but has to weigh up the cost and toll it will take on the rest of her life.
The title story, Live Show Drink Included, is about a couple enjoying a trip to London and finding a show that doesn’t live up to anyone’s expectations of the theatre.
Saucers of Secrets is set in a book publisher, and a lowly worker has a book, and an author foisted on her by management. The story looks at the love of literature and storytelling, whilst also intricately weaving in other elements of human behaviour.
Stranger is a very short story that examines what happens when two strangers meet on the top deck of a bus.
Visitors looks at the unfulfilled life of Hazel, a single mother who named her son Brando, and looks to Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton for guidance in her downtrodden life. On The Way to the Church is a story about a couple travelling, only to be waylaid by a friend’s record collection. Emotionally, the last story in the collection, Into the Valley packs the biggest punch. Grace is dying, and as her daughter-in-law visits her in the last week of her life, we see a lifetime of love, tender caring and regret unfolding.
The stories are all well-written and hang together very well as a collection. There is pathos and humour here, as the stories examine the pleasures and pains of life in new and increasingly unusual ways.
August 13, 2019
Vicky Grut has taken inspiration from a range of often ordinary situations and shows how easily things can unravel. They veer from the realistic to the surreal, nothing is quite what it seems, and Vicky’s original way of observation is a revelation. These collected stories make you ponder about who is in control of one’s destiny.
Be prepared to be not only entertained but also taken by surprise when reading one of the fourteen mini novels in this collection.
Live Show, Drink Included is shortlisted for the Edge Hill Short Story Prize 2019. The winner will be announced on 25 October 2019.
Be prepared to be not only entertained but also taken by surprise when reading one of the fourteen mini novels in this collection.
Live Show, Drink Included is shortlisted for the Edge Hill Short Story Prize 2019. The winner will be announced on 25 October 2019.
April 29, 2019
I received an ARC copy of the book from the publisher. This has in no way affected the content of my review.
This is a great collection of short stories. The author has a talent for being able to create a vivid background for her stories and she also gives us a good insight into who her characters are and what makes them tick. I am mostly a reader of novels, and I am aware that sometimes, even after reading a whole novel we still don’t have a clear sense of who these characters are, so this is a skill I particularly appreciate. The stories are beautifully observed; we get to see what is going on through the heads of the characters and also the situation that develops around them. The stories share a variety of moments and events in the lives of the characters, seemingly chosen randomly, ranging from tales of job difficulties, to family relationships, illnesses, and even the death of some of the characters.
I didn’t find any of the stories weak, and I enjoyed them all, although some of them might be better received depending on the mood of the reader and personal taste.
I’ll briefly comment each one:
In the Current Climate. A quietly menacing story that although somewhat surreal and taken to extremes seems very apt in today’s job market and big companies.
Debts. In appearance a vignette of everyday life rather than a complete story, it beautifully conveys how our state of mind can be reflected and amplified by everything around us: interfering neighbours, children’s tantrums, and even the weather. Mundane, wonderfully observed and beautiful.
Downsizing. After reading this story, I don’t think I’ll ever think of audits and management books in quite the same way. A great combination of realistic insight into the workings of modern companies and corporations and the whimsy and imagination of people that can never be totally subjugated.
Mistaken. Retail therapy with a difference. An articulate and high-achieving academic discovers that prejudice is still alive and well, sisterhood can have different meanings for different people, and some artworks can be prescient.
An Unplanned Event. The story of a man who never felt he belonged anywhere and finally gets to feel accepted and loved.
Escape Artist. A young woman ends up violently trapped at home and realises that she is also trapped in her relationship.
Live Show, Drink Included. What starts at a seemingly seedy and slightly menacing location turns up to be a beautiful love story full of light humour and some of my favourite lines.
“If you cut me open with a little knife there’d be a print of her right there in the middle of me” (Grut, 2018, p. 86).
A Minor Disorder. Two young men travelling in South Africa in the mid-1950s with very different attitudes to the situation are affected by the atmosphere around them in contrasting ways.
Saucers of Sweets. A story of life imitating art, especially recommended to people in the book publishing business, with some precious quotes.
“A book should be like a saucer of sweets, each chapter brightly wrapped and inviting in its own right” (Grut, 2018, p. 100).
Stranger. A lyrical observational vignette about an episode that feels oddly familiar and can be read in different ways.
Rich. This story contains the germ of a whole novel, full of fascinating characters (I loved Ashley), a compelling background and enlightening insights. It also has a great sense of time, place, and atmosphere. Its open ending can be discomforting to some readers, but I found it liberating.
There is a quote that particularly resonated with me:
“People equate emotion with weakness…” (Grut, 2018, p. 132).
Visitors. A vignette of small-town life in Wales, containing sharp observations about family relationships and motherly love.
On the Way to the Church. A possible life-changing revelation comes at the weirdest moment and explains many things.
Into the Valley. Having spent time in hospital with both of my parents in recent times, this story felt particularly touching and true to life. It records the last ten days in the life of a woman, spent in hospital, from the perspective of her daughter-in-law. The longest of the stories, it captures the feeling of numbness and routine that can take over one’s life in such circumstances.
“Night shift, day shift, back again to the night. We are far away from the world. We are in the Valley. Deep In” (Grut, 2018, p. 166-7).
There are characters with similar or the same names in different stories, and there are also typical corporate speech expressions which appear in separate stories, so as we read them we might find some similarities or links between the stories included, but as the end note explains, many of the stories have been published before, have received awards, and can, indeed, be read separately. I was impressed by the quality of the collection and this is an author I intend to keep a close eye on in the future.
Grut, V. (2018). Live show, drink included. Collected stories. London, UK: Holland Park Press.
This is a great collection of short stories. The author has a talent for being able to create a vivid background for her stories and she also gives us a good insight into who her characters are and what makes them tick. I am mostly a reader of novels, and I am aware that sometimes, even after reading a whole novel we still don’t have a clear sense of who these characters are, so this is a skill I particularly appreciate. The stories are beautifully observed; we get to see what is going on through the heads of the characters and also the situation that develops around them. The stories share a variety of moments and events in the lives of the characters, seemingly chosen randomly, ranging from tales of job difficulties, to family relationships, illnesses, and even the death of some of the characters.
I didn’t find any of the stories weak, and I enjoyed them all, although some of them might be better received depending on the mood of the reader and personal taste.
I’ll briefly comment each one:
In the Current Climate. A quietly menacing story that although somewhat surreal and taken to extremes seems very apt in today’s job market and big companies.
Debts. In appearance a vignette of everyday life rather than a complete story, it beautifully conveys how our state of mind can be reflected and amplified by everything around us: interfering neighbours, children’s tantrums, and even the weather. Mundane, wonderfully observed and beautiful.
Downsizing. After reading this story, I don’t think I’ll ever think of audits and management books in quite the same way. A great combination of realistic insight into the workings of modern companies and corporations and the whimsy and imagination of people that can never be totally subjugated.
Mistaken. Retail therapy with a difference. An articulate and high-achieving academic discovers that prejudice is still alive and well, sisterhood can have different meanings for different people, and some artworks can be prescient.
An Unplanned Event. The story of a man who never felt he belonged anywhere and finally gets to feel accepted and loved.
Escape Artist. A young woman ends up violently trapped at home and realises that she is also trapped in her relationship.
Live Show, Drink Included. What starts at a seemingly seedy and slightly menacing location turns up to be a beautiful love story full of light humour and some of my favourite lines.
“If you cut me open with a little knife there’d be a print of her right there in the middle of me” (Grut, 2018, p. 86).
A Minor Disorder. Two young men travelling in South Africa in the mid-1950s with very different attitudes to the situation are affected by the atmosphere around them in contrasting ways.
Saucers of Sweets. A story of life imitating art, especially recommended to people in the book publishing business, with some precious quotes.
“A book should be like a saucer of sweets, each chapter brightly wrapped and inviting in its own right” (Grut, 2018, p. 100).
Stranger. A lyrical observational vignette about an episode that feels oddly familiar and can be read in different ways.
Rich. This story contains the germ of a whole novel, full of fascinating characters (I loved Ashley), a compelling background and enlightening insights. It also has a great sense of time, place, and atmosphere. Its open ending can be discomforting to some readers, but I found it liberating.
There is a quote that particularly resonated with me:
“People equate emotion with weakness…” (Grut, 2018, p. 132).
Visitors. A vignette of small-town life in Wales, containing sharp observations about family relationships and motherly love.
On the Way to the Church. A possible life-changing revelation comes at the weirdest moment and explains many things.
Into the Valley. Having spent time in hospital with both of my parents in recent times, this story felt particularly touching and true to life. It records the last ten days in the life of a woman, spent in hospital, from the perspective of her daughter-in-law. The longest of the stories, it captures the feeling of numbness and routine that can take over one’s life in such circumstances.
“Night shift, day shift, back again to the night. We are far away from the world. We are in the Valley. Deep In” (Grut, 2018, p. 166-7).
There are characters with similar or the same names in different stories, and there are also typical corporate speech expressions which appear in separate stories, so as we read them we might find some similarities or links between the stories included, but as the end note explains, many of the stories have been published before, have received awards, and can, indeed, be read separately. I was impressed by the quality of the collection and this is an author I intend to keep a close eye on in the future.
Grut, V. (2018). Live show, drink included. Collected stories. London, UK: Holland Park Press.
March 31, 2019
I found this an okay collection of stories. A couple of them i liked , the rest i felt were quite average.
October 1, 2019
An excellent collection of short stories.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews