Return to Cranford

I first read Cranford many years ago as an undergrad arts student. It was the first of Elizabeth Gaskell's novels I'd read and immediately I was hooked by her writing - her characterisation, the gritty north of England and her witty humour.

I soon read some of her other work - Mary Barton, Wives and Daughters, North and South, enjoying each one more and realising how underrated she is compared to the Brontes and Dickens.  When I completed my undergrad studies I vowed to re-read all the classic novels I'd had to study, but somehow I never got round to it.  Roll forward a few years and Cranford was dramatised on our TV screens featuring Dame Judi et al and I enjoyed it once again.

And last night I returned to Cranford for a third time. This time it was another dramatisation, when Chapterhouse Theatre Company performed Cranford at the Theatre at the Mill.

It was time for our annual open air theatre outing. Grey skies and heavy rain showers all day must have impacted on the size of the audience. And while it was a smaller audience than usual, the theatre company received a very warm reception

Along with Gaskell's sparkling wit, they thrilled us with the humour of Betty Barker's cow falling down the well, Mrs Jamison's dog, Carlo's disappearance in Signor Brunoni's conjuring trick and Mrs Forrester's cat eating Mrs Jamison's lace collar and the subsequent retrieval of the lace.

I've seen Chapterhouse productions at this venue many times over the last few years and this has to be one of their best productions.  While the threatening rain meant we didn't indulge in our usual pre-theatre picnic, it was still one of the most enjoyable outdoor theatre events I've been to. And maybe that had something to do with winning tickets to one of next year's open-air garden productions anywhere in the UK in the raffle. Roll on next summer....