The latest offering from The Caxton Players is a bold, new translation of Frederico Garcia Lorca's classic, The House of Bernada Alba. Directed and translated by Gillian Shields, this is an intense piece of theatre which, although set in Spain, could be set in any small village community anywhere, and in this version employs the vernacular of Lincolnshire. It is a challenging project to translate and stage this play but the Caxton Players do a good job. The stage set is an all-white, traditional Spanish countryside property. The three arches and the crucifix on the wall centre stage set the scene well, as do the minimalist photos on the walls. The white walls allow some interesting coloured lighting that suggests the oppressive heat that the family endure throughout the piece. They combine to create an air of tension appropriate to the action of the play.
The action opens in the wake of a funeral, the husband of Bernarda Alba and father of five daughters as two servants set out chairs ready for the guests to return to the home to mourn the family's loss. The earthy servants ensure that we understand the action and setting as exposition. as the funeral mourners return to the home dressed in black we witness the rule of matriarch Bernada and meet her five daughters, each a very different character. We see the nature of village life, the ensuing gossip and the scandal bubbling away under the surface.
The servants are played with wit and charm by Alison Smith and Julie Flint. They are as much a part of the household as the other members of the family in their own way, omnipresent and offering wisdom and counsel where necessary. We meet the neighbours including Prudencia played by a new member of the Caxton Players, Alex Evans, and her daughter a role shared by Alyssa Deason and Isla Webb. Evans proves a capable performer and Prudencia comes into her own as a character later in the play. We also see other mourners played by Isabel Gardner, Debbie Beckett, Carol Ladson and Oberon de Monet. Isabel Gardner also performs a cameo as a beggar woman too.
Bernada's daughters all have significant moments within the play and each brings a fresh interpretation to the story. Angustias, played by Lucy Tooze is the oldest, rather homely spinster that few men notice until her inheritance is made known and potential suitors begin to flock to her door, to woo her. Tooze portrays her desperation to find a man to call her own well and her heartbreak as the truth becomes apparent is handled well.
Gemma Quickfall is Magdalena, a daughter genuinely grieving the death of the father in ways that her sisters seem less capable of doing. Quickfall performs a staunch, sensible young woman with a balanced view of the world, grieving her father.
Martirio is a lame spinster reliant on a crutch and dragging her damaged foot beneath her, suspicious of her sisters' actions and questioning their motivations. Louise Blakey manages to bring this character to life effectively and provides much of the tension with her sparky jibes at her siblings.
Amelia, played by Ruby Dobson is perhaps the most sympathetic character, she does not offend, scold or chide her siblings but follows them devotedly as the action progresses. This production marks Dobson's first appearance on the main stage for the Caxton Players and we hope there are more to come.
Lucy-Ann Jessop plays the youngest daughter, she blessed with the looks and figure that is the envy of her sisters but with a poisonous personality driven by desire who is prepared to demonstrate levels of promiscuity that cause scandal and outrage. Jessop returns to the main stage in her most challenging role to date and relishes the challenge in her performance.
Another family member is Bernarda's mother, Maria Josepha, the grandmother to the girls. The role is performed superbly by a newcomer to the Caxtons, Hazel Hale who steals her scenes every time she appears as the confused and delusional old woman that the family seek to keep under strict control within the house. Hale conveys the confusion and the detachment of Maria Josepha perfectly in a winning performance.
Overseeing the family with a steel hand inside a steel gauntlet, is Bernada Alba herself. Jo Cox joins the Caxton Players and brings malice and intensity to the role in a sometimes frighteningly powerful portrayal. Those who say to be powerful you should, "Speak quietly and carry a big stick" have not met Bernada. She rules with a rod of iron and is quick witted and sharp tongued, seemingly wishing to deny her daughters any pleasure from a life outside the boundaries of her home under the auspices of protecting them.
This large cast handle the text well and bring an energy and commitment to the performance that is to be admired. There is a smattering of bad language within the play, but nothing compared to that of the recent National Theatre performance of another translation. There are scenes that may prove upsetting but sit will within the context of the play and overall it is a worthy adaption of a Spanish classic and Shields is to be applauded for her Herculean efforts in bringing this work to the people of Grimsby.
The play runs from 1 - 8 March 2025 and tickets are available.
Andy Evans 1 March 2025
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