Stanley Houghton's 'Hindle Wakes' is one of those plays that every so often pops up on the amateur circuit, and is never seen professionally. It was written in 1910 (first performed in 1912), and has had at least two film adaptations during its years of popularity. These days it stands as a period piece, and a gentle reminder of what life was like and how far we have come (whether that be for the better or not, I'll let you decide!).
The play was written as a contemporary piece, and so the language, mores, attitudes and behaviours of the characters come from a very real place, and as such, anyone producing this play should bear this in mind. This evening's production at Oldham's Lyceum Theatre was mostly true to the time. A few of the costumes were far too modern, and the strange slanted angled window and door frame were somewhat avant-garde and didn't really fit with the setting, but other than that, a fair amount of attention to the detail had been brought to the play. I liked the idea of using a bare black wall at the rear of the stage with faint outlines of mills and industry (almost Lowry-like) in silhouette; that was a nice touch.
The story tells of Fanny Hawthorn, a mill worker in the town of Hindle in Lancashire, and her "weekend away" with the mill owner's son, who just happens to be engaged to someone else. In today's society, no-one would raise so much as an eyebrow over this, but it is 1910, and the distinctions between class, patriarchy, parents, siblings, gender, and goodness knows what else all come into play here as a power struggle emerges throughout the course of the play as to what is to be done about this. Fanny's father, Mr Hawthorn (Ian Crickett), is not exactly hen-pecked but is far more laid back about the whole affair than one would normally expect; however he and the mill owner Mr Jeffcote go back a long way, and he doesn't want to upset that friendship. Crickett played him this evening with a certain upright bravado which suited the character nicely. Mrs. Hawthorn (Maureen Copp) is the battle-axe of the piece and has the most to say about everything, always wanting to get her way. Copp's delivery was hen-like; curt and precise, but always with the correct manners of the time.
Phil Clegg's one moment relaxed and hail-fellow-well-met charm juxtaposed with his nastiness and shouting the next was superbly placed as mill owner Mr Jeffcote. Whilst his wife (Alayne Whitworth) was given very little to do or say, and was shown to be a rather weak and feeble character; much like man's attitude towards their spouses at the time. Their son, Alan (Joe Doughty) was also shown to be weak and pliable; and it is just good fortune that everything works out right for him in the end.
We briefly see both his intended, Beatrice (Laura Rothwell), and her father Sir Timothy (Roger Boardman), and they bring a welcome change of dynamic to the later scenes.
Interestingly, although the play centres around Fanny, and she is the protagonist of the play, she does and says very little until the final scene. A young lady of few words but a sharp mind, and one that is ahead of its time. One of her final lines, I forget the exact quote, tells us all we need to know about her charatcer. "As long as I am to have my own life, then I should choose how it is to be". (paraphrased). She presents a strong and independent character and gives the men (and women) who all wanted to have their own says about what should be done a piece of her own mind and puts them all in their places. A very daring and unheard of thing to do then. Suzanne Hudson's scowl and disinterest throughout was nicely placed as she came into her own in the final scene.
Ian Orry's direction was steady and secure, and he managed to bring about quite a bit of humour, expecially in the opening scene of the second act. There was a lovely chemistry on stage between Crickett and Clegg.
The lighting was a little poor at times. There was an evening glow coming from the curtain during the scenes set in the evening which worked nicely, however, surely, indoors the candles should have been lit in act 1 scene 2, and act 3. I was also a little confused as to why in the opening scene a tempest seemed to be raging outside during Mr and Mrs Hawthorn's opening interchange, which seemed to stop abruptly on Fanny's entrance and she walked in completely dry.
However, these points notwithstanding, it was a very enjoyable look back at a pre-first world war Lancashire, truthfully and lovingly retold.
Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 4.4.22
on - 4.4.22
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