The House, the Boys & the Trial

Following on from their production of ‘Chicken’ last year, Soup Productions were commissioned to produce another production to be performed as part of Warrington Pride. This year’s offering was totally different, looking at the true events that took place in Hitchen House in Warrington in 1806, and the aftermath. A harrowing story that was handled sensitively by Michael Pirks, who wrote and directed the production. He brought together a strong cast, who all created believable characters. The staging was kept simple, with the audience on three sides of the acting space. The apron of the main stage at the Parr Hall was used for certain moments throughout, with a screen behind, which allowed for projections to be used to transport the audience to different locations. Other furniture, such as tables, chairs and benches, were brought on by the cast to create different locations. The intimate scenes at the end of the first act were thoughtfully directed, showing two types of relationships. From the tender moment between Charlie and Jacques, to the animalistic relationship between Gregory and Thomas. The pace of the production was good, and the cast were well-drilled in their entrances and exits, which helped with the pace. Costumes were good and invoked the time period. The makeup used helped to show the brutality that the men went through, with black eyes and bloodied lips. Well done to Abigail Shaw on your work with the makeup.

The cast wore microphones throughout, which helped with the audibility of the cast. Other sound effects were sourced and cued well. The lighting was straightforward, but worked. Projections were used throughout to help convey location. The screen was also backlit, with performers creating tableaus to assist with the storytelling. This was a neat effect.

Josh Hopson played Charlie Baxter, a young man exploring his sexuality. Josh created a wholly believable character. The scenes between Josh and Jayne were heart-wrenching, and the scenes with Marcus were full of love and tenderness. His final speech was played with truth and emotion, showing a real strength of character.

Mike Ridd played Gregory Fishwick, a married man and a frequent visitor to the house. This was a convincing performance from Mike as you could see the character’s inner conflict as he tried to hide his true self publicly.

Andy McQuoid played Isaac Hitchen, the owner of the house where the men met. Andy was full of life as Isaac, and had a great command of the stage. The change from a confident to scared man after his arrest was well played by Andy.

Marcus Cameron did well as the French Jacques Milano. There were times where the audience missed dialogue due to Marcus’ French accent, but he created a convincing character and developed a nice partnership with Josh.

Harry Twining impressed as Thomas Rix. Harry was confident and gave Thomas a swagger that suited his character. Harry worked well with the rest of the cast, particularly Mike.

Sam Duxbury played Isabelle Fishwick, the wife of Gregory. This was a sincere performance from Sam, as the loving wife of Gregory. Sam brought a quiet strength to the character, which she was able to show in the scene where she visits Gregory.

Jayne Dittrich played Mary Baxter, Charlie’s mother. Jayne gave a convincing performance, a confused woman coming to terms with her husband’s death. The moments she was back in reality were impactful, full of spite and venom.

Michelle Drinkwater played Margaret. Michelle did well in this small role, adding to the scenes she was in.

Emmett Drinkwater played Oscar and Clerk. Emmett did really well in these roles, especially as Oscar. His speech at the beginning of Act Two was convincingly done, full of disgust.

Neil Atherton’s voice was used for The Judge. The staging of the court room scenes was cleverly done, with Neil’s authoritative voice resonating throughout the auditorium.

Spencer Lawrence had a good command of the stage, prowling it as Barrister Robinson. He had a good air of authority, using his voice to convey this. Spencer’s line delivery was controlled and measured.

Jo Preston played Kitty. This was a nice cameo role from Jo, assisting Isaac in creating a safe space for the men to meet. Jo was warm and motherly, especially to Charlie.

Andy Kenny cut an imposing figure as Constable, making his presence felt throughout, whether it was in the street, or during the trials.

Corynne Dittrich added to scenes in her various roles. She was engaged with what was happening.

Overall, this was a thought-provoking production. The staging was simple yet effective, there were some convincing performances, and the writing was strong.

A big thank you to everyone at Soup Productions for their kind invite and hospitality.

© NODA CIO. All rights reserved.