Cast

Synopsis

Betty, a passionate, doting mum in Leeds finds it hard to believe that her only son is leaving home to get married. On the morning of his wedding Betty retreats to her attic where she relives her long-lost youth and the love affair she had in the 1960s. Surrounded by her memories and ghosts from her past, Betty finds herself torn between a husband she never loved, a son about to leave and the man with whom she shared a passionate affair. A play that is funny, clever, poignant and touching.

Directors Notes

What a wonderful play this is. Kay Mellor was inspired to write it after her mother confided in her that she had had an affair with a Polish man who had died before Mellor was born. It is a play that looks at relationships, with themes of love and loss, heartbreak and yearning. The setting is in the attic, where Mark finds his mother lost in her thoughts and memories on the morning of his wedding. My fantastic cast of four, none of whom knew each other before we met for the read through, have bonded so well. We have had a really interesting time in rehearsals where we have explored the relationships between the characters and the way the balance of relationships shaped their futures. The mother who, although she has always adored and talked to her son, has never told him her biggest secret. The son who has never before had an in-depth heart-to-heart with his father. The wife who has felt trapped in a passionless marriage and felt unappreciated and taken for granted by her husband. The husband who has always felt left out from the closeness of his wife and son.Is it too late for amends to be made and the course of the future to change? And then there’s Craze -what part does he play in their future lives? We can’t wait to get on our magnificent set -it’s currently built and on the stage, but not yet quite ready for us to use (as I write this we are just at week 3 of rehearsals). It is a structural masterpiece by the fantastic Godfrey Elliott and the Workshop team. Just wait till you see it. With a strong back-stage team, led by Rosemary Grainger as Stage Manager, I know that when I finally relinquish the reins of this production, it will be in safe hands.Although this is not a comedy, it is a play with a lot of humour in it. Please, sit back and enjoy your evening