“Cranford – A Radio Play”
Nottingham Arts Theatre.

There is something very special about radio plays. It's that magic of receiving everything through the power of the voice. Every emotion and nuance is through the voice and when an actor is used to acting with their whole body, this kind of acting pushes an actor's boundaries if they are not used to radio plays.

This cast may have been pushed boundary-wise but they rose magnificently to that challenge.

Having a grounding in radio, I've loved catching up over the years with the great radio "soap operas" like "Hancock", "The Archers", "The Goon Show" and even "Little Britain" started as a radio show. This sort of entertainment allows the audience to re-tune their brains to listen more to the script and take in the lyrical comedy as opposed to any physical humour in the theatre.

Premiered at Nottingham Arts Theatre as part of its 60th anniversary season, The Nottingham Arts Theatre presents a radio play version of Mrs Gaskell's “Cranford” dramatised by Nottingham playwright Campbell Kay.

“Cranford” depicts a society dominated by an older generation of eccentric, petty and snobbish women who despite their quaint and old-fashioned attitudes, live life according to a strict moral code which puts a strong emphasis on humanity, loyalty, kindness and good neighbourliness.

Their society is also in transition; beset by financial crises, rising crime and the encroachment of industrialisation. Against their situation is movingly portrayed in this charming costume drama which captures all the delicacy, humour and sentiment of Elizabeth Gaskell's famous novel.

The room, which is the studio room at the back of the Arts Theatre, is set out like a cabaret show with tables and chairs along the side of the studio and straight away creates a very special atmosphere with everyone being able to see the stage.Plus there was table service included.

The cast are mainly the more mature actor,and is lovely to see these wonderful seniors showing what they can do - there really ought to be more complete plays for the mature actor.

Coleen Bee (Mary Smith), Kay Taylor (Miss Deborah Jenkins), Gill Cook(Miss Matilda Jenkins), Shelagh Hubbard (Jenny/Ladt Glenmire), Margaret McCarthy (Miss Pole), Marie Rogers (The Honorable Mrs Jamieson), Glenise Ellis (Miss Jennie Brown/Martha), Mike Newbold (Captain Brown/Mr Peter Jenkyns), Barbara Calvert Benner (Housekeeper/Fatima), Barry Hobbs (Mr Thomas Holbrook), and Rob Suttle (Signor Brunoni/Jem Hearn) are the wonderful cast who, while standing in front of us, painted the pictures in our minds with their talents of story-telling, and yes, there were accents as well. And you know I love a good accent!

I was told that some of these ladies involved were tempted back to the stage because of this play and Margaret Mccarthy was also in the original 2009 production at the Arts Theatre, so it shows what a special play this really is.

Providing the sound effects for the radio play were the equally talented Christine Boothe and Mike Pearson, who not only provided the sound effects bit were also as much a part of the play as the on stage actors.

Beautifully directed by Jane Crich, she made sure that this band of actors brought out the gentle comedy vocally, so much so that if you'd listened without watching, you'd still have got every scrap of comedy from the play as if you were seeing it performed as a stage play.

Campbell Kay really should dramatise more of these kind of plays for the same format because it's a breath of fresh air, especially in the intimate setting of the Arts Theatre Studio, where last I saw a play called "Blink" many years ago.

The Arts Theatre should utilise this space more because the atmosphere, acoustics and intimacy of the space works very well, especially with plays like this

“Cranford” is at the Nottingham Arts Theatre Studio until Saturday 9 March 2019.

All proceeds from this production go to support the work of Nottingham Arts Theatre and you can also buy a copy of the play in book form, which means that even after enjoying this experience, you can revisit the magical script again and again, and paint those pictures in your mind at any time.

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