Anyone who has been reading my blog for a long time will know, as I've probably told you many times before in various posts, than one of my favourite books - probably my all time favourite - is J L Carr's A Month in the Country.
I've also probably told you that the film version is one of my favourite films.
I can also now say that the stage version I saw recently is one of my favourite interpretations of this wonderful novel. Adapted for the stage by Nobby Dimon the director of a splendid theatre company I hadn't come across before called The North Country Theatre it perfectly captures the very essence of the book.
We went to the performance with some dear friends one of whom is also an avid fan of of this unforgetable story. Tom Birkin recovering slowly from the traumas of the WWI trenches arrives in the Yorkshire village of Oxgodby to uncover and restore a medieval wall painting in the church. Outside in the fields beyond the churchyard archaeologist Charles Moon, equally traumatised by his wartime experiences is working on an excavation to find the body of the disgraced ancestor of a church benefactor Miss Adelaide Hebron. The story weaves around these two characters and those of the villagers. The solitary Rev Keach and his beautiful wife, Alice and Station Master Ellerbeck's family including his delightful daughter Kathy who are most definitely 'chapel not church'! How to create the poignant atmosphere of this month of summer, this month of searching, dreaming, yearning, recovering, of revelation and burgeoning love?
A small company of five actors with a small revolving stage of moveable props managed to do this in the most amazing and wonderful way. They captured the characters of the main protagonists so well some of them doubling up and playing two parts. The whole thing was so well performed, well timed and well constructed that it was a work of art in itself. We had a most wonderful evening in the presence of this company of players who both before and after the show and during the interval will come amongst the audience to chat, to challenge and interact in a way I've never seen before. Most definitely community theatre at its best.
We went to the performance with some dear friends one of whom is also an avid fan of of this unforgetable story. Tom Birkin recovering slowly from the traumas of the WWI trenches arrives in the Yorkshire village of Oxgodby to uncover and restore a medieval wall painting in the church. Outside in the fields beyond the churchyard archaeologist Charles Moon, equally traumatised by his wartime experiences is working on an excavation to find the body of the disgraced ancestor of a church benefactor Miss Adelaide Hebron. The story weaves around these two characters and those of the villagers. The solitary Rev Keach and his beautiful wife, Alice and Station Master Ellerbeck's family including his delightful daughter Kathy who are most definitely 'chapel not church'! How to create the poignant atmosphere of this month of summer, this month of searching, dreaming, yearning, recovering, of revelation and burgeoning love?
A small company of five actors with a small revolving stage of moveable props managed to do this in the most amazing and wonderful way. They captured the characters of the main protagonists so well some of them doubling up and playing two parts. The whole thing was so well performed, well timed and well constructed that it was a work of art in itself. We had a most wonderful evening in the presence of this company of players who both before and after the show and during the interval will come amongst the audience to chat, to challenge and interact in a way I've never seen before. Most definitely community theatre at its best.
How wonderful that the book, film and play all lived up to expectations! x
ReplyDeleteYes, it was - I'm so glad it lived up to expectations:)
DeleteIt sounds good, glad you enjoyed the performance. I've never read this, it sounds interesting.
ReplyDeleteIt is a very gentle book with lots of vivid characters - more a novella than a novel:)
DeleteIt's not often that a book successfully translates to film and stage.
ReplyDeleteQuite an achievement but so well adapted in both film and on stage:)
DeleteI don't think The North Country Theatre Company come our way, but it sounds like the sort of creative theatre production in a small venue that I would enjoy. I'm glad you found this stage version of your favourite book and the interaction with the company members entertaining.
ReplyDeleteThey are based in Richmond in North Yorkshire and still have a few performances up in that area before they close early December:)
DeleteI have seen the film (and I loved it). I shall watch out for the play. Sounds really good xxx
ReplyDeleteI think if you liked the film you'd love the play for different reasons:)
DeleteIt is wonderful when a play or film lives up to your expectations from a book isn't it! Glad that you enjoyed it. xx
ReplyDeleteDoesn't happen very often usually one or the other is disappointing but in this case it really did work well:)
DeleteThis is also one of my favourite books and I believe it was filmed in the Yorkshire Dales village of Masham, close to where my parents lived. Many of the books that I most appreciate seem to be short, novella format. I like that they say enough but not too much, and they have an essence, rather like poetry.
ReplyDeleteHello and welcome! I agree about the novella format. The theatre company played at Masham during this tour I think so that would have been extra special knowing that some filming was done there too:)
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