When the Wind Blows

Thank you, Duston Players, for a warm welcome last night at the Duston Community Centre. A lovely venue, with ample room for your production. I met Karen Badcock, Stephanie Rodley at the box office and was quickly introduced to director Gavin Jones who was eager to tell me all about his production. It was the first night, and I could feel the anticipation and excitement in the air.

The usual café was not open, but I found out that refreshments were organised at very short notice by Sue Webster, Jess Webster, and Brian Thomas. Well done, I feel this confirmed to me what a lovely supportive group Duston Players are.

When the Wind Blows by Raymond Briggs tells the story of an elderly couple, Jim and Hilda Bloggs, living in rural England, as they try to survive a nuclear attack on Britain. Following government guidelines from a pamphlet, they prepare their home and attempt to maintain a semblance of normalcy. The original graphic novel, while rooted in the fears of the Cold War era (1980s), resonates with contemporary concerns about nuclear conflict and its aftermath.

The curtain opened on a domestic scene.  The magnificent set included a kitchen with an exterior window to stage right, a dining/lounge area in the centre, with a large red sofa stage left. The back wall looked like a typical country cottage, with cracked plaster and practical doors, and a wall clock. Hilda Bloggs, played by April Pardoe, and James Blogg,s played by John Myhill, are having breakfast, pottering in the garden, and catching up with the news from the radio and newspaper. This was a very gentle introduction to the characters and their simple lives together. April and John worked well together with strong chemistry evident from the first moment. April and John used the whole stage and the floor out front to create the different parts of their home. (I would have liked to see real food and drinks rather than the miming during breakfast, but a small criticism of an otherwise stunning staging.)

Hilda, gentle and trusting, and James, charismatic and protective, came to life and utilised the well-crafted script by Raymond Briggs, which included the language of wartime spirit, the keep calm and carry on attitude. They start by storing supplies, building a shelter, and taking other protective measures. To begin with, all is jolly, and James particularly displays a stiff upper lip attitude. He tries to hide some of the unpleasant everyday issues, for instance, how to use the toilet, storing water, and having no power, from his wife.  For the most part, it seems like they will cope with the potential hardships. They are both confused about how the ‘war’ will be conducted and by whom, but trust that the leaders, the great and the good, will sort it all out.

I want to commend the set designer, James Burgess, and the dressers for their attention to detail. I was fascinated by all the paraphernalia from the 80s, which had been carefully collated and utilised to enhance the set. The wall clock, the shape of the doors, the tablecloth, and the crockery all took me back to the 80s. The domestic bliss is created for us, with James gardening and doing DIY, and Hilda cooking and cleaning. They decide to take the warning in their government pamphlet to heart and do the right thing by building a shelter in their home. James literally takes a door off the hinges as we watch, with the worried Hilda trying to keep the house clean around him. Suddenly, James and Hilda are warned of an impending nuclear attack on the radio and, following the advice of a government pamphlet, they hide in their shelter. The middle section of the back wall transforms with the addition of a backlight, and we can see them both cowering in James’ well-built door shelter. Brilliant!

The nuclear attack occurs! The sound effects, both digital and practical, along with the lighting effects, bring this moment to life. (Lighting & Sound Technician:  Graham Lee.)  The rumbling created by stage manager Andy Whalley was very clever, along with thunder, wind, and other noises.  The sense of doom and horror was brought starkly to mind. The fear and shock radiated (excuse my pun) off April and John, creating an urgency to their movements in contrast to the earlier calmer moments earlier in act one. Despite some darkly comic moments, the audience realise now that Hilda and James will be suffering, despite their actions. The couple's efforts to follow the government's advice will surely be insufficient against a nuclear attack and the long-term effects of radiation poisoning.

Act two starts where we left off, and we realise that there may not be a happy ending for James and Hilda. Hiding in their shelter, the house around them shattered, furniture and treasured items strewn across the floor. This moment was a shocking revelation for me. Seeing their cosy home shattered was devastating!  I liked the clever use of lighting to denote the passing of the days, until they finally emerged, and again during the following scenes. But while they survive the initial blast, they are exposed to radiation. From then on, we see them deteriorate as they try to come to terms with the changes that have happened through the lens of their own small domestic lives. Why has the postman not been? Where is the milk delivery? Why is there no radio or TV? Simple everyday tasks cannot be achieved, whilst they are becoming ill without realising the reasons. This part of the play was hard to witness, as, despite their firmly held belief that help will be sent from the Government, we know that help will never arrive in time to stop the inevitable. It seems inconceivable to us in 2025 that they are so trusting in the powers that be and seem content to wait for government assistance. I noticed the clever use of blood effects and makeup, very skillfully and swiftly applied by Rachael Pickering to show the physical effects of their illness, and the acting choices of both actors were excellent. Headaches, sore throats, sickness, and tiredness all seemed real. The moment when Hilda suggests that they get into their paper sacks, it hit me with the realisation that she does understand what is happening to them and she knows this will be their last moments. It was so sad, but also showed the dark humour of her role. The story highlights the devastating consequences of nuclear war, both physically and emotionally, as Jim and Hilda succumb to radiation sickness, still loving each other and uttering prayers.

Overall, your play explores the fears of nuclear annihilation and the human cost of conflict, making it a powerful and moving story that continues to resonate with audiences. You have performed a brilliantly profound, nostalgic yet unsentimental, dark comedy. Gavin, your attention to detail in your staging is excellent and thank you for allowing me to walk the set at the end.

I was pleased to see some very good information, promotion and short video’s on social media which was co-ordinated by Zoe Favell, a very good level to entice your audience in. However, your program was not great. Lovely quality paper and good photographs, yet a lot of information was missing. Particularly all the backstage people and supporters and you did not include who owns the rights for this play, nor a NODA logo. Thank you, Gavin, for emailing me the extra information I needed to finish your report. It is clear you have a wonderful supportive network to call upon for your set build, donating props, raffle prizes, who include Amber Louise, Caitlin Badcock, Mike Burgess, Alistair Way, Toni Clarke, Maggie Holland, Rachel Moore, Karen Badcock, Brian Thomas, Zoe Favell, April Pardoe, John Myhill, and Graham Lee. Well done everyone, you have made something amazing.

Well done Gavin Jones, for an extraordinary directorial debut. I expect you have learned a lot along the way, not least from Assistant Director, another highly skilled creative James Burgess. I look forward to seeing you direct again in the near future.

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