WHEN WE ARE MARRIED To 23 May.
Leeds/Liverpool.
WHEN WE ARE MARRIED
by J B Priestley.
West Yorkshire Playhouse (Quarry Theatre) To 25 April.
Mon-Sat 7.30pm Mat Thu 1.30pm Sat 2pm
Audio-described 22 April, 25 April 2pm.
BSL Signed 21 April.
Captioned 24 April.
TICKETS: 0113 213 7700.
www.wyp.org.uk
then Liverpool Playhouse 30 April-23 May 2009.
Mon-Sat 7.30pm Mat 14, 21 May 1.30pm, 9, 16, 23 May 2pm.
no performance 4 May.
Audio-described 8 May.
Captioned 23 May 2pm.
0151 709 4776.
www.everymanplayhouse.com
Runs 2hr 35min One interval.
Review: Timothy Ramsden 11 April.
A very happy Married.
Written in 1938, set 30 years earlier, with its characters looking back another 25 years, this is J B Priestley’s best example of broad comedy, without the philosophical superstructure of his other major plays. No time theories here, despite the time-spans mentioned above. It’s sheer entertainment: a very good companion for an evening at the theatre.
Ian Brown’s fine revival shows up the detail Priestley achieves within his story of three couples, pillars of small-town northern society, including an alderman and councillor as well as a plain Mr (the least pompous, most generous-minded among the men), who discover, mid-denunciation of their church organist, that they’ve never been legally married.
This fine acting company shows there’s much more to it than northern flummery. When the loud are silenced, the unassuming have their chance. Les Dennis’s Herbert, for example, able to show his generosity towards young lovers. Or Gabrielle Lloyd’s Annie, hitherto-crushed wife of the loudest husband, clutching her bag, smiling happily in her new freedom, taking her chance to tell Councillor Albert, who’s ever but slenderly known himself, that he’s stingy. Casting the tall, thin Paul Bown emphasises the point - no wonder Shakespeare’s Caesar mistrusted the “lean and hungry” looking Cassius.
Tricia Kelly’s Maria, shock, misery or fury delightfully delineated in her face, is a comic treat and a suffering human, while Polly Hemingway’s dominating, battleship-faced Clara is the last to question herself.
It’s clear how ill-sorted the couples have been, and there’s at least a step towards Priestley’s favourite time-territory with hints people might, if not have their time again, at least renew their lives. And while the men patrol the Helliwell’s living-room, their complacency and full stomachs disturbed as they try to handle and contain the situation, it’s possible to see An Inspector Calls lying a decade ahead in Priestley’s output.
With rich performances around from Jodie McNee as an innocently outspoken young servant, Eileen O’Brien as her older equivalent, fiery in manner as she’s alcohol-rouged in feature, and Tom Georgeson capturing precisely the slurs and mind-slips of insobriety as press photographer Ormonroyd, this is a comic delight.
Ruby Birtles: Jodie McNee.
Gerald Forbes: Tom Lawrence.
Mrs Northrop: Eileen O’Brien.
Nancy Holmes: Claire Redcliffe.
Fred Dyson/Rev Mercer: Richard Braine.
Henry Ormonroyd: Tom Georgeson.
Joseph Helliwell: Graham Turner.
Albert Parker: Paul Bown.
Herbert Soppitt: Les Dennis.
Clara Soppitt: Polly Hemingway.
Maria Helliwell: Tricia Kelly.
Annie Parker: Gabrielle Lloyd.
Lottie Grady: Julie Higginson.
Director: Ian Brown.
Designer: Colin Richmond.
Lighting: Tim Mitchell.
Sound: Mic Pool.
Musical Director: Richard Taylor.
Voice coach: Neil Swain.
Fight director: Kate Waters.
Assistant director: Madeleine O’Reilley.
2009-04-12 17:17:11