The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase a play performed by Southport Dramatic Club Youth Theatre on 9th March, 2023 at Southport Little Theatre, Hoghton Street, Southport.

This play was adapted from a children’s novel written by Joan Aiken, titled ‘Bonnie Green’.  The book was first published in 1962 and re-titled ‘The Wolves of Willoughby Chase’.  The book was successfully adapted into a stage play by Russ Tunney for The Nuffield Theatre, Southampton and the Forest Forge Theatre Company. Performed by a cast of five with original music, the show completed a National Tour in 2009/10. It was praised in 'The Stage'…. "Wonderful stuff – worth wrapping up warm and turning out on a freezing night for” … which was very apt advice for the evening I saw it!

Having not heard of this play, let along seen it… and whilst doing my pre show ‘homework’ … I came across this brief explanation of the storyline… a thrillingly funny adventure set in an alternative history of England!  The Wolves of Willoughby Chase tells the story of two brave and determined young girls, cousins, as they fight against ferocious wolves, snowy wastelands and their very evil guardian/governess, Miss Slighcarp who is left to care for them whilst Sir Willoughby and Lady Green embark on a sea voyage to help Lady Green with her health issues. The girls can hardly believe what is happening to their once happy home… the servants are dismissed; the furniture is sold and Bonnie and Sylvia are sent to a prison-like orphanage school. It seems as if the endless hours of drudgery will never cease… until they meet and are assisted by their friend, Simon the ‘Goose Boy’.

The Production Team… Paul Wilkinson (Director) in his programme notes tells us that both he and his cast had lots of fun rehearsing this production, but along with the fun they’d also dealt with and overcome many challenges and now having seen it…  I really can see and understand exactly what Paul meant!  This really was a complex play with a challenging storyline and if I’m honest, there were times when the storyline became a little vague, but with the young cast working their socks off, with the direction being strong and after listening and speaking to some of the audience present that evening… there was little or no doubt that we’d all really enjoyed the production! Well done Paul… well done cast!

The Cast… as most will know, this is where I usually ‘stick my neck out’ and identify MY favourites… but on this occasion I do feel that would be a slightly remiss of me when you just knew that everyone on that stage had given their all and there’s little more you can ask or expect!  Again, from Paul’s programme notes, he tells us that with any Youth Theatre… young people grow up, they go to college and/or university or move on into adult theatre… so YOUTH THEATRE is continually evolving… so the need to offer opportunities to the less experienced, the need to support and advice those same young people… is the ethos behind my interpretation of what NODA stands for!  So please let me start by identifying all the cast members, then move on to a few ‘shout outs’ and then, if I may, and I hope I don’t offend or overstep, move onto offer a little bit of generic advice for everyone…..Mia Fox-Johnson took on the roles of a ‘Train Guard/Emma and Doctor Field’; Natasha Molton played Mrs Briskett;  Emily Alty played ‘Sylvia Green’; Grace Higgins played ‘Doctor Morne and Gripe’; Seb Fisher played ‘James the Footman and Mr Wilderness’; Joshua Jones played ‘The Wolf Keeper’ and Chorus’;  Abbie Strefford played ‘Miss Slighcarp’;  Katie Allen played ‘Bonnie Green’; Harry Corcoran played ‘Mr Grimshaw and the School Inspector’; Orlando Campolucci-Bordi played ‘Sir Willoughby and Simon the Goose Boy’.   ‘SHOUT OUTS’… my ‘fab five’…. Abbie Strefford did an amazing job as Miss Slighcarp, the ‘evil governess’ who is brought to Willoughby House to look after cousins Bonnie and Sylvia Green, whilst Sir Willoughby and Lady Green go on a sea voyage to help with Lady Green’s health issues!  Abbie did a wonderful job with this role.  Great stage presence, great characterisation, believable with a ‘real feel’ of evilness running throughout her character!  Well done Abbie great job!   Orlando Campolucci-Bordi took on two characters… ‘Sir Willoughby’ and ‘Simon the Goose Boy’ both of whom were equally impressive!   Again, wonderful stage presence, confident, made both these parts his own, but I particularly liked ‘The Goose Boy’ character!  Loved the ‘funny interlude’ toward the end of the play when he ‘suggests’ he’d missed his change from one character back to the other… we did have chance to chat about this after the production… totally believable Orlando… well done young man… great job!  Harry Corcoran also had two roles to play… the evil ‘Mr Grimshaw’ friend/associate of Miss Slighcarp and the ‘School Inspector’. Experienced actor, who made both these characters totally believable.  Loved the change of accent and the characterisation from one to the other; I especially liked the characterisation of ‘Grimshaw’… amazing!  Be proud Harry… great job!  Two for the price of one… ‘Sylvia Green’ and ‘Bonnie Green’ played by Emilie Alty and Katie Allen respectively, our two cousins who are at the centre of the wrath of the evil Miss Slighcarp!  Both had good stage presence, created two good characters and worked really well together!  Well done girls, good job!

Generic Advice… this paragraph has been ‘cut-pasted’ and used in many reviews, especially for youth groups. It isn’t meant as criticism or to a point finger… it’s just ‘tips’ that I feel can help develop a performance….  
‘Spoken Word’:   Never forget that your audience needs to hear every word you say! ‘Diction’ is important especially when the pace increases or when we get to an emotional section… volume needs to be kept up and remember to project, especially with ‘softer’, ‘quieter’ ‘intimate’ lines….
‘Spoken Word’:  It’s a joy when you realise that you know your lines – but just saying lines without adding some ‘light and shade’, some accentuation, some articulation… this really is important if the dialogue is to come to life!
‘Spoken Word’:  Speaking ‘Up Stage’ - speaking with your back to the audience!  If you turn your back on your audience to deliver a line, always remember to speak louder ... if possible, try and avoid speaking up stage!
‘Accents’:  The use of accents is a vital element in theatre, when mastered it can enhance a performance so much!  When using an accent, ensure it’s used throughout… if you sing... try and include the accent in the lyrics...it isn’t easy – but if achieved, it really can/does enhance the performance!  Ensure when using an accent that it doesn’t negate the audience ability to actually understanding what’s being said!
‘Eye Contact’:  Vital!  They say ‘The eyes are the window to the soul’ – ‘so true’!  Look into someone’s eyes… you should be able to tell what that person is thinking or feeling ... if you can’t see the eyes, if there hidden under a hat or hair - you lose so much!  The eyes allow you to engage with your audience…. the ‘eye’s definitely have it’!

Staging/Set Cath Fisher (Stage Manager), along with Paul Wilkinson and Radley Haynes (Set Design) Bob Jessamine (Scenic Artist) and the SDC Construction Team had once again provided a well-planned and fitted stage with apt furniture and props to afford these young actors a platform where they could perform to the best of their ability.  Tech:  Alex McKillop (Lighting Design) and Bernie Howat (Sound) did a great job with lights and sound and should be congratulated on their efforts!  Costumes… which were ‘outstanding’ were under the watchful eye of Eve McNamara.

Safeguarding … where would Youth Theatre be without our ‘Safeguarding Teams’… Bernie Howat and the SDC Safeguarding Team along with the Chaperones should be congratulated on their dedication and enthusiasm… without you ‘Youth Theatre’ across the country would not exist… be proud one and all – ‘unsung heroes’!

Can I take this opportunity to thank SDC Youth Theatre for inviting my wife and I… we thoroughly enjoyed our evening with you, I really do love to see young people being given the opportunity to perform… already looking to being back at the Little Theatre to see ‘The Actress’ later this month and then to be back in August to see the Youth Theatre again performing ‘The Addams Family’!

Stay safe and keep well…
‘STRONGER TOGETHER’

Jim Briscoe
NODA North West
District 6 Rep

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