Looking beyond Lady Chatterley

D.H. Lawrence is perhaps better known for his imaginative novels, most notably Lady Chatterley’s Lover, and his thought-provoking pieces of poetry. His plays, for the most part, however, have remained somewhat of a secret. But now, thanks to the renowned Library Theatre Company one of his theatrical works, in the name of The Daughter-in-Law, is taking to the Quays Theatre stage at The Lowry, and if the press launch is anything to go by, it seems that audiences are in for a real treat.

The small cast, which includes At Home With The Braithwaites star Alun Raglan, and National Theatre actress Natalie Grady as the leading roles, Luther Gascoigne and Minnie, already appear relaxed and at ease with one another and their roles after only two weeks rehearsal – a promising sign for the show, which runs from Thursday 23rd February – Saturday 10th March 2012. With strong and believable Nottingham accents, and an emotional story of a new married couple’s turmoil, this looks set to be the next must-see of the theatre world.

Chris Honer has already earned himself a respectable reputation, having been the company’s Artistic Director since 1987. Once again, it appears – from the two scenes that were previewed – he has managed to bring the magic of the page to life in a fashion that is at once both real and engaging. He’s not let us down in the past, and it doesn’t seem likely that he is going to be doing any time in the near future.

If you are planning on attending the show on the 6th, 7th or 9th March, then there is also a chance for you to watch an intimate performance of Lawrence’s poetry, directed by Josh Azouz – free to ticket holders, so long as they are booked in advance.

To get a feel for this exciting production, its trailer can be viewed here.  

Packed with authenticity and drama, hopefully this revival of The Daughter-in-Law will raise the profile of Lawrence as a prolific playwright and encourage more of his work to be thrown into the C21 limelight.

– Rebecca Cohen