When We Were Married

Set in a fictional Yorkshire town, we meet three couples who have come together to celebrate what they believe to be their joint Silver Wedding Anniversaries.  Unfortunately, all may not have been quite as it seemed 25 years ago, when the three couples married on the same day in the same chapel.  The consequences are played out through this superbly written play, undoubtedly well known to the audience who joined the cast on the first of a three night run. 

The play calls for a large cast. Joseph Helliwell, the Alderman (Nick d’Alquen) and Maria Helliwell (Julie Heyes) both captured the materialistic nature of their new money standing. Their extravagance countered the prudent and parsimonious nature of Albert Parker, the Town Councillor (David Tester) who was nothing but a bore to his stifled and stuck wife, Annie (Clare Carter).  Herbert Soppitt (Christopher Baker) executed a role reversal from browbeaten to resilient with great effect, whilst his wife Clara (Linda Tester) reluctantly softened her overbearing manner by the end of the evening. 

Other characters of note included Ruby Birtle (Lucy Boyland) the wonderfully exuberant and animated young maid, she maintained her characterisation throughout; Henry Ormonroyd, (Marcus Burnside) an alcoholic photographer, his slow decline into inebriation over the evening was nicely paced and his revelations were a blessing in disguise to the three “happy” couples of whom he’d been called to take a photograph; and Mrs Northrop (Jenny Dulson) the loose-tongued cook.  Nancy Holmes (Jemma Rowlston), Clement Mercer (Frank Rowling), Gerald Forbes (Sam Lowe), Fred Dyson (Matthew Dulson) and Lottie Grady (Cheryl Dulson) completed the line-up.

There is no central character as such, rather the situation in which they find themselves is the main focus. However, the Director had introduced a central character in the form of the door to the Helliwell’s extravagantly furnished Drawing Room, which was the only piece of practical set on the stage.  With the corridor left open behind it so that the audience could see the comings and goings of the cast, the brave choice paid off.  Coupled with Ruby doing much of the set tidying in her role as maid between Acts, the staging worked wonderfully.  Whilst there were obviously some first night nerves, and a few prompts were taken, it did not detract from the overall enjoyment. I am sure by the final performance, the pace and polish will have been produced and the whole team should be rightly proud of this production. 

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