You might suggest it’s dark in the North but her poetic use of language is also very funny.
Delaney’s play debuted at the Theater Royal, Stratford East, in 1958 and served as a boisterous northern locomotive for a party of elite liberals.
Director Bijan Shaibani’s revival captures the essence of the play with stunning emphasis. The hit pits Leslie Sharp as the greedy and sexually infamous mother Helen who abandons her teenage daughter, Joe (Kate O’Flynn) for her young lover.
O’Flynn is no less impressive as the vulnerable but resilient Jo who finds herself pregnant after having a coup with a black sailor. When gay art student Jeff (Harry Hepple) moves in, they form a supportive family unit for each other.
Delaney’s gritty comedy gets the raucous, thrilling production it so much deserves.
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