Hyde Little Theatre production enjoys smooth tour transition to Guide Bridge

JB Priestley's When We Are Married is the gift that keeps on giving for amateur theatre groups.

The classic northern comedy of three couples celebrating their silver wedding, only to discover they might not be legally joined together after all, is brilliantly crafted with well drawn, believable characters and a script filled with laugh-out-loud lines.

The production, which ended a six night run at Guide Bridge Theatre last Saturday, had the added advantage of a wealth of on-stage talent and the skilful direction of Keith Dalby-Oldham.

Here for their ‘encore tour’, the Hyde Little Theatre company slipped back with consummate ease into the roles they played so successfully on home turf just over a month ago.

Uproar erupts and home truths fly like confetti as reality hits home for the respectable Helliwells, Parkers and Soppitts that they have been living in sin for the past 25 years.

In the midst of it all, the doorbell never stops ringing. Tipsy photographer Henry Ormonroyd and reporter Fred Dyson have been sent by the Yorkshire Argus to cover what was to have been a triple celebration for the local chapel stalwarts.

The mysterious, flirtatious Lottie Grady turns up unannounced and reveals a secret past encounter. Adding further fuel to the fire, stroppy house-keeper Mrs Northrop, sacked by the Helliwells, gleefully sees her chance for revenge.

The couples are eventually assured that they are legally married but in the mix of emotions that have come to the fore, we might well ask: would they all live happily ever after?!

Congratulations to the whole cast and crew at GBT for a smooth performance and thank you for a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

Cast: Linzi Kay (Ruby Birtle), Thomas Chatterton (Gerard Forbes), Anna Evans (Mrs Northrop), Emily Stannage (Nancy Holmes), Nigel Skinner (Fred Dyson), Cavan Slate (Henry Ormonroyd), David Price (Alderman Joe Helliwell), Catherine Connolly (Maria Helliwell), Andrew Connolly (Cllr Albert Parker), Jean Ratcliffe (Clara Soppitt), Paul Wood (Herbert Soppitt), Sue Nuttall (Annie Parker), Joanne Richards (Lottie Grady), Philip France and Ian Chatterton (Rev Clement Mercer).

Meet Phil France (pictured), you might recognise him from the play When We Are Married, or as your friendly postie from Hyde.

However, Phil is also a cartoonist and from this week on, the Reporter and Chronicle is delighted to welcome him aboard our team and we will be featuring a different cartoon from him each week... there seemed only one place to start however!