An August Bank Holiday Lark (Tour - Lancaster)
Michael Nunn and is amused and moved by this latest Northern Broadsides
production
By Michael Nunn • 7 Mar 2014 • Northwest
WOS Rating:
An
August Bank Holiday Lark
© Nobby Clark
With the centenary of the start of World War I, there was bound to be an onslaught of new
works for theatre, and regionally-based Northern Broadsides started work on their
contribution to the commemorations some five years ago. An August Bank Holiday Lark,
by Deborah McAndrew, offers us an extended snapshot view of rustic-industrial life in
Saddleworth, a northern village in the exposed heights of the Pennines.
For centuries part of Yorkshire and now in Greater Manchester, its industries have been cloth
manufacture, cotton spinning and weaving. In the prelude to World War I, rural pursuits and
rituals such as rushbearing, Morris dancing, village bands, Whitsuntide Walks, cycling clubs
and the like were still very much alive all across England. Pick up any Hardy novel or ask
your grandparents to get a flavour of the times.The redoubtable Yorkshire bard Alan Bennett
captured this atmosphere beautifully in his elegiac A Day Out of 1972.
Against such a background is McAndrew's narrative set. It tells of the close-knit community's
preparations for the annual Wakes Week celebrations (a week's paid holiday whilst the local
mills or factories were closed for maintenance), and especially the rushbearing ceremony.
This was carried out religiously every year - and still is in some rural northern towns and
villages - and was the absolute focus of the locals' energies and creativity – and also not a
little squabbling, power-struggling and rivalry.
The preparations for the Big Day are well on, under the gimlet eye of Squire (organiser) John
Farrar (Barrie Rutter) with his hapless Bagman (assistant) Jim Haworth (Andrew Whitehead).
The huge, authentic and spectacular nine-foot Rushcart is built, with the actual rushes used at
the neighbouring Sowerby Bridge local festival last year. The Morrismen are rehearsed, and
the village's distinctive banner is finally unveiled.
In summer 1914, though, with the imminent onset of hostilities, several of the local lads are
enlisting. But at least one young man's sap has begun to rise. Young Frank Armitage (Darren
Kuppan) has his eye set on Squire Farrar's daughter, Mary (Emily Butterfield). The Squire is
aghast though the womenfolk and the other men encourage the match.
Nothing can get in the way of the festivities, and we are treated to vivid displays of traditional
Northern clogdancing from the eight men, admirably accompanied by some fine, exuberant
dance tunes by MD and choreographer Conrad Nelson.
But the clouds are gathering. As the village lads return to the Front after a brief furlough,
McAndrew's tale suitably darkens, and the effects of far-off conflict, which was even less
understood then than now, take their toll on one and all.
There is not, however, a trace of maudlin or sentimentality in this tale, which is told
authentically and with great dramatic integrity Director Rutter gives us convincingly
authentic Northern accents (around half the cast hail from the White Rose County), sure
movement and blocking on a simple and robust set designed by Liz Evans, with unobtrusive
and effective lighting by Mark Howland. The Saddleworth Morris Men assisted in the
dancing.
The cast of twelve deliver a compelling unravelling of this proudly distinctive Northern
narrative, leaving even the least emotional lip a quiver.
An August Bank Holiday Lark is at the Dukes, Lancaster until 8 March and is touring
nationally until 14 June.
- Michael Nunn