It’s Wakes Week in Hindle; the mill is closed and the workers are idle. Fanny Hawthorn is relaxing at the seashore with a girlfriend when she runs into Alan Jeffcote, the mill owner’s son. Alan takes Fanny to an hotel in Wales for a few days of fun, but the fun stops when their parents find out.
When Hindle Wakes premiered in London in 1912, many critics called it the best play of the year. However, the play’s unsentimental depiction of a pair of unmarried young folks who enjoy a fling, two young people seeking pleasure without commitment sparked parental chagrin and widespread moral outrage, filling England’s newspapers with passionate argument over the play’s controversial subject matter. Of course, controversy was good for business and Stanley Houghton’s scandalous 1912 play was a hit.
New York’s Mint Theater Company, which has been unearthing forgotten plays since 1992, presents a spirited recording of Hindle Wakes. It was directed by Gus Kaikkonen and earned a Drama Desk nomination for best revival.
Available FREE. until Sunday, March 16.
The post Ruth Leon recommends… Hindle Wakes – Mint Theater Company appeared first on Slippedisc.
