Extraordinary Women

Stage Two Downham’s presentation of 80 Days: The Nellie Bly Chronicles felt like a thoughtful and quietly ambitious piece of storytelling, shaped with real care by a team who clearly believed in the material. Written by local playwright David Cawley, the script itself deserves praise: clever, tightly structured, and genuinely interesting, it reimagined Bly’s life with a blend of factual grounding and creative flair that made the journey feel fresh without losing its historical weight. David balanced humour, character and narrative drive in a way that suited the radio‑play format beautifully, giving the cast plenty to work with while keeping the audience engaged throughout. The entire production was pre‑recorded at The Grand in Clitheroe, a choice that gave the piece a clean, sound and a sense of cohesion. Directed by Fran Osborne and produced by Richard Hubbard, the production made strong use of its hybrid form. Kim Croydon’s visuals added atmosphere and momentum, while the sharply mixed sound effects sat comfortably within the dialogue, enhancing rather than distracting. The result was an evocative and surprisingly immersive experience, with humour woven lightly through the script and performances that carried both clarity and warmth. Andrea Cawley anchored the piece as Nellie Bly, offering a strong, assertive, and often witty portrayal. Her accent was consistent and confident, and she handled Bly’s blend of journalistic sharpness and human warmth with ease. There was a real sense of purpose in her delivery, giving the narrative its spine and ensuring Bly remained the driving force of the story. Steve Cooke brought charm and dry humour to Phileas Fogg, Vernes’ protagonist reimagined here as a narrator figure guiding the audience through Bly’s travels. His accent work was excellent, and he struck a lovely balance between authority and playfulness. The rapport between Fogg and Bly added a welcome spark, giving the piece moments of lightness and personality. Trevor Robins offered impressive versatility in his dual roles as Joseph Pulitzer and Jules Verne. His American accent for Pulitzer carried weight and authority, while his French accent for Verne was characterful and distinct. The contrast between the two roles was clear and engaging, highlighting his ability to shift tone and energy with precision. As Bly travelled the world, the narrative opened out into a tapestry of voices, with many actors stepping into multiple roles. Each brought their own vocal colour, rhythm, and colloquial accents to the storytelling, enriching the journey without ever overwhelming it. These shifts in character added humour, texture, and a sense of global movement, giving the production much of its charm and momentum. This was a very clever and genuinely engaging piece of work, thoughtfully written, well‑produced, and confidently performed. It offered an inventive way into Nellie Bly’s remarkable story, and Stage Two Downham delivered it with clarity, creativity, and a clear respect for both the subject and the audience.

I always enjoy a trip out to Downham in the Ribble Valley; there cannot be a more picturesque location for a theatrical production in the whole of the North-West. On this occasion, Stage Two Downham was presenting Extra-Ordinary Women which comprised of two one act plays, Eighty Days: The Nellie Bly Chronicles by David Cawley and How the Vote Was Won by Cicely Hamilton and Christopher St. John. The first play was set in 1889 and the second play in 1909 and both dealt with the theme of women’s emancipation in a world where women were fighting for their rights including the fight for women’s suffrage. 
First up, was Eighty Days which told the true story of a heroic young American female journalist, Nellie Bly, who took up the challenge to try to outdo the time set by the fictional character, Phileas Fogg, from Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days. Nellie, equipped with only one small grip bag, travelled solo around the world in an age where women were expected to be accompanied wherever they went. This was an interesting piece of theatre as it was written as a radio play and was, therefore, prerecorded. The piece was accompanied by some visuals and was introduced by Nellie Bly herself, admirably played by Andrea Cawley, as if this was part of her forty-city coast-to-coast lecture tour of the United States which she undertook on her return from her travels. Andrea played the part well, as a feisty and determined young journalist, eliciting humour with her delivery and her convincing American accent. The other lead role, Phileas Fogg, was played by Steve Cook whose rich mellow tones are made for radio. Fogg helped Nellie to narrate her adventures as well as interjecting with some humorous commentary. Introducing the fictional Fogg as a character in the play was a clever move by local writer David Cawley. This was David’s first play, and it was both well written and well researched though I thought more could have been made of the other young female journalist who was racing against Nellie in the opposite direction in order to add a bit more dramatic tension to the piece. Andrea and Steve were ably supported by the rest of the large cast who played a variety of different characters with different accents. The production values were high; it really felt like you were listening to a BBC Radio afternoon drama.

Next up, was How the Vote Was Won. This was written back in 1909 by two playwrights who were also both committed suffragists. The play was written to support the women’s suffrage cause by turning the anti-suffrage argument that “men will protect women” on its head. Because of the age and the theme of the play, I imagine it has been some time since this play was last performed, so well done to Fran Osborne, the director, for taking this on and presenting it to a modern audience. Fran managed to extract a lot of humour from a piece that sometimes comes across as a bit preachy by today’s standards. Horace Cole is the hapless office clerk who is opposed to women’s suffrage and is overwhelmed by an influx of female relatives who turn up at his house asking for support. Eventually, Horace has a change of heart, and he joins the women on their march to Parliament demanding votes for women. Trevor Robins played Horace with just the right amount of comic frustration and physical comedy. Ethel Cole, played by Kella Bowers, was very convincing in her role as the not-so-sympathetic wife, and I particularly enjoyed Julie Laing’s portrayal of the blustering niece Molly and Rose Hurley as the raucous music hall actor, Maudie Spark. However, all the characters were very well-drawn and contributed to the comedy of the piece. The set, the front room of Horace’s town house, designed and built by Roger Astin, Warren Seddon and Alex McFall was excellent. All the furniture, props and costumes were just right for the period the play is set. Downham Village Hall has a small stage and the director did an excellent job moving such a large cast around such a confined space with such apparent ease. I would also like to mention Richard Hubbard who designed and produced the programme; it was one of the most informative programmes I have ever read. Well, done Stage Two for such an educational and entertaining evening!

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