A Passionate Woman

Synopsis

A middle aged mother relives her youth. Betty is in ready for her son's wedding - so why is she in the attic? Could it be that she doesn't like the bride, is fed up with her husband's meanness or is jealous of her sister's good looks and four husbands? Comedy.

Our Review:

20 May 2011

On paper, A Passionate Woman should be a compelling story. Indeed, the TV adaptation starring Billie Piper and Sue Johnston was a well-pitched drama with an assured emotional arc.

Based on the true story of Kay Mellor’s own mother who, as a young woman, had a secret love affair with a Polish immigrant, the play follows Betty who is hiding out in the attic on her son’s wedding day. There, she discovers an old letter from the lover and the memories pour out.

It’s a romantic notion and, on hearing Mellor speak about the events, an interesting foundation for a play. How disappointing, then, that this four-hander instead is a confusing and unwelcoming production full of northern caricatures and farcical plot devices.

Mellor does a sterling job of portraying Betty embodying the northern, no nonsense, lady-of-a-certain-age very convincingly. In fact, the opening of the play is a joy as Betty reminisces about Ringtons Tea and...

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Latest User Review

Peter Chapman - 23 May 2011:

I thoroughly enjoyed it, in fact it is a co-production between Oldham & Ipswich and the WOS reviewer who saw it in Ipswich (see link above)gave it 4* for exactly the same production....

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