CityLife

Once in a House on Fire

Once In A House On Fire
The Lowry
March 31, 2011

The stage version of Andrea Ashworth’s best-selling memoir is presented in the Studio Theatre by Monkeywood Theatre and however harrowing the story is, it’s refreshing to see a Manchester-based story told by a local company.

Andrea’s story is a compelling one of four women who  survive in an atmosphere of domestic violence and abuse through the seventies and eighties. She grew up in Moss Side, co-incidentally in the same road where the play’s director Martin Gibbons now lives.

She went to Chorlton High School and Xaverian Sixth Form College where the writer Sarah McDonald Hughes and co-director Francesca Waite were also pupils.

Monkeywood Theatre presents Manchester stories through a collaborative process working with people in the community. This story involved flying out to Los Angeles to meet Andrea who lives there and work-shopping ideas with pupils at Xaverian and neighbouring schools.

Although the story is gripping this episodic piece is still a work in progress and could do with pruning by half an hour. This is mainly because the storyline itself is so intense that, carried straight through without an interval, it would have even more impact.

There’s also a confusing plethora of video montages on a screen that’s too small to see clearly and with distorted sound no clear indication of the passing years. However there are good performances from the strong cast particularly Sarah McDonald Hughes as Andrea and Rachel Austin in a variety of roles.

This worthwhile project has been developed with The Lowry Studio, supported by Arts Council England. An extra performance has been arranged so obviously the story has local appeal.

In spite of its dark story, this uplifting production will tour nationally and appear at the Edinburgh Fringe so Andrea’s story will continue to inspire.

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