Comedy is swapped for realism in Happy Breed
This Happy Breed, written in 1939 prior to the outbreak of the Second World War, is far from Noel Coward’s usual light-hearted take on the upper classes ... writes Mike Boxer.
Instead, the captivated audience at Pitlochry Festival Theatre was treated to a record of the social history of life in Britain after the First World War.
Through the lives of the Gibbons family – newly-settled into a house in suburban south London – Coward identifies the strains on family life as the pressures and upheavals of the political and social world evolve over a time span of 20 years, from 1919-39.
The setting and family group may bring back memories for those of a certain generation, while younger theatre-goers would be forgiven for finding the style and mannerisms unfamiliar.
Frank Gibbons (played by Mark Elstob) has recently returned unscathed from the trenches in 1919 and is delighted to discover his nextdoor neighbour is Bob Mitchell (Owen Aaronovitch), a fellow comrade in arms.
Frank’s wife Ethel (Helen Logan) is the matriarch determined to establish a secure home for their three children - Reg ( John Winchester), Vi (Anna McGarahan), and Queenie (Hannah Howie).
Also occupying the family home are Frank’s elderly, constantly bickering, mother-in-law Mrs Flint ( Jacqueline Dutoit) and his hypochondriac spinster sister Sylvia (Stephanie Wilson), who seems to want to pick an argument with anybody and everybody.
Reg initially becomes a supporter of socialist firebrand Sam Leadbetter (George Arvidson) but eventually settles and marries, while Sam is also domesticated and marries Vi.
Queenie is the difficult one, feeling the move to Clapham is beneath her station and despite the attentions of Bob’s son Billie (Lee Dillon-Stuart) runs off with a married man.
The scenes revolving around family Christmas celebrations and the daughter’s wedding bring out all the known familiar tensions of family life and are very much brought to life by the characters.
Adrian Rees’s set and costume designs cleverly reflect the changing of the eras, as do the subtle changes to the furniture and fittings, the open set, – with see-through walls giving the house depth – and height changes to the garden.
Even the smoking chimneys added to the authenticity.
The clever projection of news headlines onto the back of the stage keeps the audience up to date with the chronological events of the time – the General Strike, Depression, rise of fascism, appeasement and Munich.
Each member of the cast captures the moments of humour and pain, despite the forewarning of the political and impending disasters ahead.
Frank’s final soliloquy to his infant grandson, while wheeling him around the house in his pram in June 1939, is that all failures are down to human nature. Little did he know the Second World War was about to commence.
Directed by John Durnin, this fine production deserves to be wellsupported by those who enjoy good theatre.
For details of performances and tickets of all this year’s repertoire of productions contact Pitlochry Festival Theatre on 01796 484626 or the website.