KITTY AND KATE. To 5 March.
Newcastle Under Lyme/Scarborough
KITTY AND KATE
by Claire Luckham
New Vic Theatre To 12 February 2005
Mon-Sat 7.30pm Mat 12 Feb 2.30pm no performance 27 Jan, 3.7 Feb
BSL Signed 2 Feb
Talkback 2 Feb
then Stephen Joseph Theatre Scarborough, 22 February-5 March
Runs: 3hr One interval
TICKETS: 01782 717962
www.newvictheatre.org.uk (Newcastle-under-Lyme)
01723 370541 (Scarborough)
Review: Ranjit Khutan: 21st January 2005
A new play exploring a mother and daughter relationship.Kitty and Kate is inspired by the life of writer Catherine Cookson. It covers the early part of her life after moving to Hastings a far cry from her writing, so closely identified with the North East of England where she lived until her mid 20's. Claire Luckham drew inspiration from Cookson's autobiographical work but this is very much her interpretation of events and therefore counts as fiction (knowledge of Cookson's 98 books is not necessary).
Kitty moves to the south to take up the position of laundry mistress in the Workhouse leaving her mother Kate and her family behind. She enjoys her work and is a hard taskmaster expecting high standards from the women she manages and from herself too. Correspondence between Kitty and Kate is mainly one sided Kate tells her how much she is missed, whilst Kitty doesn't look back and the feelings are unrequited. Kitty's harsh façade stems from a family secret a secret that carried with it a great social sin and stigma back in the early 1900's.
Johanne Murdoch's Kitty is austere and exacting; it's only after she meets Becky Hindley's kind, confident Annie we are allowed an insight into the more relaxed potential of Kitty's nature. The development of this relationship is given a lot of attention, whereas the motivation for Kitty to break from this relationship with Annie in favour of men is slightly rushed and could have been explored further.
Michelle Newell's Kate is complex and diverse and her relationship with Kitty loving yet empty at the same time. Kitty's reaction to Kate at the train station leaves you feeling sorry for the mother, yet Kate's cruel treatment of Annie's child causes anger and resentment.
Luckham explores mother daughter relationships, the ambitions of women to gain independence, and the desires of love and sexuality all having significance for women even today. In examining these issues Luckham's characters cover a lot of ground and at times the piece is burdened by this thoroughness. Sue Wilson's direction enables the flashbacks and the content to be carried well but the pace could have been quickened with a more compact script.
Davey / Mr Graham: David Bannerman
Old John / Mr Turner: Tim Barker
Mr Silverlock: Ian Brooker
Annie: Becky Hindley
Tom / John / Conman: Nik Howden
Kitty: Johanne Murdock
Kate: Michelle Newell
Maggie / Masie / Mrs Turner: Poppy Roberts
Little Kitty: Chloe Robinson / Megan Shaw
Little Girl: Grace Barnsley / Elyse Hansbury
Director: Sue Wilson
Designer: Lis Evans
Lighting: Daniella Beattie
Sound: James Earls-Davis
Voice Coach: Mark Langley
2005-01-26 00:51:23