North West Theatre

Love on the Dole

Ronald Gow & Walter Greenwood
14 Oct 10 to 06 Nov 10
Octagon Theatre

Despite the joy of her recent engagement, Sally Hardcastle and her family are struggling to make ends meet. Her brother, Harry, faces an uncertain future: out of work, a baby on the way and facing the dreaded Means Test.

When a powerful rival for Sally's affection makes his feelings known, she's offered the chance to save her family from being torn apart. But can Sally sacrifice her integrity to secure the happiness of the people she loves?

...a fascinating study of a family struggling to survive in extreme poverty... The play, however, is a little clunky at times in its construction... some humour... and an interesting story, but many of the characters are rather thinly drawn... David Thacker's production does make the best of the material... Clare Foster... as Sally Hardcastle, effectively playing her as childishly happy and naïve at the start but getting more worldly and mature... Sam Lupton... is excellent as younger son Harry Hardcastle... The trio of Susan Twist... Annie Tyson... and Flo Wilson... are played very well but... for most of the time these characters are thinly-veiled dramatic devices... plenty to make an audience laugh and cry...
British Theatre Guide
...an excellent historical document of the difficulties faced by working class families... As a production this is good rather than outstanding... pleasing attention to detail in Ruari Murchison’s set... Director David Thacker keeps the action slick... As an ensemble they never quite seem to establish a rhythm... Clare Foster is infinitely watchable... ably matched by Kieran Hill... Sam Lupton really comes into his own in act 3 and is excellent... Barbara Peirson could have made more of Mrs Hardcastle...
What's On Stage (Rating: 3/5)
...feels as fresh and as modern as if it was being performed today for the first time... packs an emotional punch that can still be felt long after the final scene... wonderful ensemble acting... Clare Foster as the principled and strong willed Sally Hardcastle is excellent, as is Kieran Hill, who plays her doomed lover Larry... Sam Lupton as Harry and Sarah Vezmar as Helen are touching and heart-rending... David Thacker directs with great authority... The set and costumes are too clean and pristine... thoroughly engaging and deeply moving.
The Public Reviews (Rating: 4/5)
...Greenwood wrote a timely and sombre assessment of the lives of the poor, even if Ronald Gow’s stage adaptation cannot always mine the deeper, rich seams of the original... another vibrant and truthful performance from this young actress [Clare Foster]... The production overall however is much less sure-footed... some of the costumes in particular appear snatched from the wrong period’s dressing-up box... remains a salutary reminder of society’s on-going poverty of political imagination.
Lancashire Evening Post
Ronald Gow’s wonderful adaptation adds a dramatic shape to the original angry regional novel... Clare Foster... is wholly gripping in the lead role... Kieran Hill demonstrates his emotional range as her doomed lover... Sam Lupton... excels as young Harry Hardcastle... David Thacker’s revival is timely given current economic conditions, and packs a rare punch.
The Stage
I sat through David Thacker’s revival... almost completely unmoved... competent enough but it could do with an added spark of radicalism to evoke the extremities of the Thirties and offset the story's schematic and melodramatic qualities... the cast don’t look sufficiently careworn to convince as breadline survivors. Kieran Hill is solid but a touch too well-fed... the metamorphosis of... Clare Foster’s Sally Hardcastle – from dependable family girl to steely-minded pragmatist is finely wrought... Yet basic decisions – like having two intervals to allow sets to be carted on and off – diminish the evening’s potential power.
Daily Telegraph (Rating: 3/5)
Clare Foster is funny and feisty... Keiran Hill is the idealistic Larry, and he captures the poetic and passionate soul of the character... The immortal trio of disreputable tea-drinkers, Mesdames Dorbell, Bull and Jike, are as enjoyably presented as I have ever seen them... Director David Thacker’s decision to stage this play in-the-round is absolutely the right one...
UK Theatre Network