Mapp and Lucia Ahoy! (Salford)

Venue: The Lowry
Where: Salford

Following a successful outing at the Theatre by the Lake at Keswick, Sandra Hunt and Rachel Laurence are back with a new adaptations of the novels of E.F. Benson portraying the comedic arch rivals Emmeline ‘Lucia’ Lucas and Elizabeth Mapp.  

The struggle for dominance and the desire to be the queen bee amongst the residents of Tilling by the Sea sees the pair washed out to sea, bringing to life Queen Elizabeth I and her army’s defeat of the Spanish Armada as well as the eternal quest for that lobster recipe.  This is a classic very British tale of life in a small village and the constant attempts at being the leader of the community and the most loved member of the small social group by bettering the other contender through whatever means necessary.

Hunt’s Elizabeth Mapp is acerbic yet incredibly witty and she portrays the peeved previous top dog with real vim and vigour. Laurence’s Lucia is full of charm yet is wicked in her teasing of Mapp and constant attempts at one upmanship.  Also playing a couple of other characters these two are rarely still and with minimal props bring this tale of 1920’s/1930’s snobbery to life in an effective and entertaining manner.  

The stories of Mapp and Lucia have been televised and serialised on the radio and already have a strong following and fans of the series will not be disappointed by this production. It is quite simply pure light-hearted entertainment and keeps the audience tittering throughout. 

– Ruth Lovett