Saturday Night at the Crown

“Saturday Nigh at the Crown” was written by Walter Greenwood which premiered in Morecambe during 1954 before it transferred to the Garrick Theatre in London’s West End from 1957 to 1958 where it ran for 234 performances. Greenwood later wrote his last book based on this play using the same title. The play originally starred Thora Hird to whom he dedicated this last Novel. The play is set in an urban, working-class community just like his most famous prewar work “Love on the Dole” but this play has some differences as it reflects the growing changing prosperity of the working class in the post war period.

I must say a very big congratulations for producing an outstanding authentic looking set complete with working beer pumps at the Bar, it was exactly what you would expect of a northern pub during 50’s Britain, in fact you could swear you were actually in a pub. The reaction of the audience as the curtains opened was audible when the intake of breath was taken, and comments were made. Congratulation must go to Stage Manager Andy Brown Set Designer Peter Hall and all the set construction and set painting teams along with properties for a wonderful job. Wardrobe by Stacey Vernon was also spot-on helping to create authenticity to the setting of the play. Lighting and sound were designed and operated very well adding to the success of the production. Although some strange noises did come from the speakers at one point during the performance, resulting in great hilarity both on stage and in the auditorium, it actually appeared to add to the comedy.

The play takes place over one day and follows the fortunes and relationship of the landlord Harry Boothroyd, and the barmaid Sally Earnshaw, We meet some of their customers including primarily the dominant Ada Thorpe and her put upon husband Herbert (who does not speak for the entire course of the play).We also have the Hardy family, who have hired the room upstairs for the wake after the funeral of their mother, then there was the merry widow, Eunice Sidebottom and a US GI sergeant from a nearby American base.

Directed by Maureen Schofield this was quite a large cast for a play. Christine Armstrong was excellent and very funny in the pivotal important role of garrulous Ada Thorpe who wasn’t very happy about the fact that she had not been invited to Mrs Hardy’s  funeral, making it known that she had lived next door to her for forty years, a fact we were reminded of on numerous occasions throughout the play and John Churnside was wonderfully comedic as her put-upon husband, Herbert, who made his presence felt despite his silence, John gave a lesson on what can be achieved with good facial expressions, measured reactions and mannerisms and how one walks on stage. Emma Appleton certainly looked and acted the part of the merry widow, Eunice Sidebottom who had married an older rich man and had now inherited his money.She was now looking for her next husband and after realising her efforts to catch Harry were not working she turned her attentions to American Sgt Wilbur Rickard played well by Eamonn Gottlieb who initially wanted to marry Sally. Wilbur became increasingly more inebriated; and Eunice’s efforts and man-eating tactics to ensnare him were very entertaining. Andrew Lomax was just right as bachelor landlord Harry Boothroyd as was Gina Matheson in the role of secretive Sally Earnshaw the barmaid, they both played their roles very well and produced a believable relationship, they were assisted in running the pub by Alf played nicely by Darren Robinson making a very good barman. We had members of the Hardy family who were attending their mothers/mother-in-law‘s funeral and hiding from their wives in the bar downstairs. These included Mark Lloyd as Charlie Butler, John Dudley as Sam Cross and John Clinton as Bob Hardy all three producing good northern characters. Then we had Dora and Bill Hardy who putt the case forward as to why they and their son Charlie’s or Charles as Dora persisted, should inherit the bulk of old Mrs Hardy’s belongings and money. Nicola Reynolds and Joey Wiswell produced a good comedy double act in these roles and complemented each other perfectly. Bringing up the rear, we have Craig Pennington in the cameo role of first-time expectant father, Tom.

Accents were very good and on the whole the dialogue could be heard and the story and comedy followed very well. However, I did think there was some gaps in the dialogue at times when I thought the actor was waiting for a prompt, although I did not actually hear the prompt, but this did not spoil my enjoyment of the play at all. It has been said that this play and the book that followed were a precursor to Coronation Street and I have to say that the characters in this play reminded me very much of some of the early characters from the series such as Ada who I felt had some similar characteristics to Ena Sharples.

Congratulations to all involved in bringing this very enjoyable and entertaining northern comedy to the stage, I did like the authenticity of the action which took place in a different time which had different norms and boundaries where nearly everyone smoked. This production informed and reminded us of what life was like in 50’s post war Britain and how much life, and ambitions have changed. Thank you very much for inviting us we had a very enjoyable evening.

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