Promising an evening of uplifting tales, Junction 8 does not disappoint with their latest production of verbatim theatre, Lancastrians, directed by Liz Stevenson. Channelling the lived Lancashire experience gathered from over 500 contributors county-wide, we journeyed from Lancaster to Skelmersdale and all the places in between on a tide of human stories skilfully retold by a skeleton cast of three.
On entering the theatre, the staging configured in-the-round, my eye was caught by the reams of red, yellow and orange wool strung between the balcony supports. Yarn-bombing, [the action or activity of covering objects or structures in public places with decorative knitted or crotcheted material, as a form of street art.], has steadily gained popularity over the past 17 years, with a dedicated following in Lancaster, and has come to represent the connectivity of community through visual art as it brings locals together through a shared love of craft and the opportunity for a good, old chinwag. As a backdrop, this yarn-bombing was very effective in encouraging this message as it physically drew the audience together as one small village, with family and friendships groups deposited around the stage, right in the heart of the action. Gathered together by yarn-bombing and close proximity to the actors, we were fully immersed in a colourful explosion of confident Lancastrian characters, all determined to give their opinion on why, or why not, Lancashire is great.
The interviews ranged across the ages from all walks of Lancashire life; refugees to old age pensioners, school children to the homeless. Despite the difference in backgrounds many recurring themes emerged probing issues of prejudice, racism, and lack of employment in our region, often using humour to explore these issues to a positive and gently enlightening effect. The cast really shone in their complete grasp of northern dialects- no “grim-oop-north” one accent fits all - and it became a game to try guess each town and then watch the ripple of recognition that swept through the room as each area was revealed.
The costumes were a plain uniform of grey tops, jogging bottoms and trainers that was a little disappointing, however the necessity of this choice soon became apparent. Shifting from one individual’s representation to the next, it served as a blank canvas rather than a distraction and I soon forgot as each actor beautifully filled in the blanks with studied mannerisms and the many humorous remarks drawn from human observation.
Breaking up the speeches with drumming, folk dance and joyful bouts of pop music, there was a playful atmosphere of hope and acceptance. Towards the end I realised my sense of pride in my county had gone way up, along with the corners of my mouth. If you’re looking for a feel-good injection with a sense of belonging this show promises an affectionate introduction to all that’s good, bad and ugly about Lancashire.
More than half-way through their regional tour, Lancastrians will be visiting Blackpool (6th-8th May at Stanley Park Visitor Centre) before finishing off at The Artz Centre in Skelmersdale (9th-11th May). This is a perfect family-friendly piece and is suitable for children aged 11 and older. It is important to note that if you have mobility or posture-related health issues it’s a good idea to contact the box office for alternative seating, as the stools were quite uncomfortable after a while which led to some audience members sitting on the floor instead
Reviewer - Natalie Bowers
on - 4/5/19
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