Oldham Coliseum Theatre

Jun 17 to Jul 10

The Road to Nab End

Oldham Coliseum Theatre present the world premiere stage adaptation of the best selling book The Road to Nab End, which tells the remarkable tale of a poverty-stricken childhood which caught the imagination of people throughout the world.

The Road to Nab End evokes the hardships and joys of growing up in a northern community during the great depression. From heroic mill workers to a sadistic nun, from an inspirational grandmother to the rector who had an unfortunate meeting with a lion at Skegness Fair, the monuments and memories are full of spirit, humour and a little sadness.
The Road to Nab End is a step back in time to the characters of an extraordinary Northern childhood.

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Cast

Reviews

Oldham Chronicle

Premiere a winner for Coliseum

A CRACKING end to the season as the Coliseum offers a hugely entertaining world-premiere, based on a massively popular, cult autobiography.

Philip Goulding’s adaptation of the William Woodruff account of his Blackburn childhood isn’t particularly startling or original, but is continually lively, detailed and charming and offers a hugely entertaining evening. If only the World Cup could do as much.

Headed by Kenneth Alan Taylor as the elderly Woo-druff, looking back and narrating his own childhood, the play’s cast is one of the best at the Coliseum since — well, since the last one, as it happens. But before that, think months.

Taylor may not exactly look the part of the slight and rather impish Lancastrian, but has great warmth throughout. John Elkington is strong and strangely sympathetic as the father and Lisa Howard equally so as the mother, while the play comes to life when Adam Barlow (as Billy), Frances McNamee and particularly Jo Mousley, as his sisters Jenny and Brenda respectively, are centre stage.

Unlike most of these poverty-stricken, northern mill-working “life were ’ard” tales, this is not a memoir by a semi-literate retiree, but a beautifully-written, thoughtful work by an historian and academic, self-confessedly and humorously trying to make sense of the impoverished world in which he grew up (Lancashire’s move from cotton boom to bust in the Twenties).

The curious thing is that this was, by the standard of the time, a fairly unremarkable childhood. Woodruff’s family wasn’t crushingly poor — though had its moments; Billy was lovingly raised and his life of curiosity seemed quite pleasant, since he knew little else.

What made the man remarkable was what came after this: education and life as an academic all over the world, eventually in Florida, where he put down roots. The 13 members of his family who attended on opening night had mostly American accents; if anything, a more interesting story…

But this tale will suffice for now: Woodruff’s talent for describing his childhood makes this an evening of pleasure and amusement. The play has great charm, moves quickly, remains mostly funny and MD Howard Gray has chosen cheering songs of the period to enliven the action, which takes place on a substantial set by Alison Heffernan, and evocatively-lit by Thomas Weir.

A warm recommendation then, and better than the footy…

- Paul Genty

The Stage

Philip Goulding’s adaptation of William Woodruff’s episodic autobiography about growing up in a Lancashire mill town during the Great Depression is nothing short of superb. It takes a hugely talented ensemble of actor-singers (swelled by a score of company members) to stage something as good as this, which teems with life, is crowded with incident and brims over with high emotion.

Making a triumphant return to the venue in which he was a distinguished artistic director, Kenneth Alan Taylor plays the narrational role of the older William, coming back to a Blackburn now much changed but still for him redolent of pre-war memories. Adam Barlow is quite brilliant as his younger self, Billy, coping with the endemic poverty and hunger, the moonlight flits, everyone having to share the same bedroom. The compelling story is his and we hang on his every word.

Lisa Howard and John Elkington show sangfroid and fortitude as his parents, and Jo Mousley and Frances McNamee (of the lovely singing voice) make a splendid pair of sisters, Brenda and Jenny. Robin Simpson and Christopher Chilton bring to life an astonishing range of period stereotypes.

But it is Alison Heffernan’s robust set, all mouldering brick and smoke-stained windows, that makes it all possible, providing a perfect backdrop for all the humour and pathos, while the songs, performed beautifully by the whole cast under the musical direction of Howard Gray, are the ideal complement.

Kevin Shaw has a triumph on his hands with this world premiere.

- Andrew Liddle

The Public Reviews

The play adaptation of William Woodruff’s bestselling autobiography – The Road To Nab End; is an appealing premiere for Oldham Coliseum Theatre. A glimpse into one man’s upbringing in a town where a community relies so heavily on a declining industry and how William Woodruff surpassed poverty and drudgery to become a critically acclaimed academic and writer, is an inspirational story to see unfold.

Writer Philip Goulding has chosen to show a nostalgic view of a life around the Cotton mill workhouses where families lived and worked together to make ends meet. From the account of William’s birth on the floor of the mill where his Mother worked, to his father’s job of cleaning the bird droppings off the town statue; each event is referred to with an equal measure of comedy and meaning. William as an old man living in the ‘sunshine state’ of Florida takes the audience into his life as the boy Billy in Blackburn. A community steeped in the traditions of Cotton weaving; they see it as a trade that cannot be stopped. Billy’s father cannot see sense in taking up his daughter’s prestigious offer of a scholarship to Preston Grammar when she has a job for life at the mills. And just when Billy is entering adolescence and a time where he too could have a job for life at the mills, the great depression hits his family and the community making thousands unemployed. Blackburn’s cotton trade never fully recovers and Billy is left looking for a way out before it becomes too late.

Kenneth Alan Taylor (as older William) narrates the story well and helps untangle an often confused plot. The play jumps from decade to decade and back again in quick succession. Key events of Woodruff’s life like his relationship with his Grandma as a boy could have been examined more to gain a deeper significance with the audience. However, the songs performed by the cast as a whole, and musically directed by Howard Gray, offer a unique and heart-warming alternative to setting a scene or creating atmosphere within the play and were a nice touch. Also Jo Mousley was wonderfully distinctive in performing varying characters including Brenda Woodruff and Betty Weatherby.

The Road To Nab End is an ambitious adaptation that explores the virtues of close-knit families and communities when facing adversity. It is a play that reminds you that even though we are facing similar struggles now in the form of recession, that looking to family, friends and even oneself can offer solace on the road to recovery. A thought-provoker!

- Rebecca Mickler

Manchester Evening News

“…contains plenty of humour and warmth… Former artistic director Kenneth Alan Taylor, as William the narrator, holds the evening together with a sure authority.”

Reviewsgate

“This Road ends in a cul-de-sac of austerity for those involved, but the pavements are laid with theatrical gold in Kevin Shaw’s excellent World Premier of William Woodruff’s 1993 autobiography…”

“This is a stylised, rapid fire production with strong physicality and a precision honed satirical edge; a multitude of memorable characters, atmospheric choral accompaniment, and much more.”

What’s On Stage

“The accomplished cast are all superb, but special mention must go to recent graduate Frances McNamee, whose authentically classic look and sublime singing voice commands attention.”

Show Times

Evening Performances: 7.30pm

Matinee Performances: 2.30pm