Theatr Clwyd, Yr Wyddgrug – until 4th June 2022
Reviewed by Julie Noller
5*****
Exciting times at Theatr Clwyd as the 1970s building undergoes a major refurbishment. Upon arrival you find yourself walking towards what feels like a wedding marquee, fear not it is the temporary hospitality area but on a sunny evening the windows open up to give amazing views of the Clwydian range highlighting the magnificance of the local area of which the theatre takes it’s pride of place within the local community. Huge congratulations to Theatr Clwyd for using a QR code generated programme that is accessible to everyone, reducing costs and aiding the environment.
We found ourselves within the outside dome, Theatr Mix. A rather funky little theatre which is prefect for any show where intimacy, small stage settings bring the audience so close to the actors you feel you can almost reach out and touch them. Celebrated Virgins I wasn’t sure what to expect, the only knowledge I had was from my friend Google, perhaps upon reflection this is wise because the story itself so cleverly written by Katie Elin-Salt and Directed by Eleri B.Jones. From the very first minutes it’s obvious you are going to be sucked towards the very soul of this story. Reminded that these very forward thinking ladies were no longer with us in body but very much so in spirit and that they certainly had aplenty. 200 years ago it was unheard of for a young lady to think for herself never mind break every unwritten rule of gentile society and seek to live their lives in romantic love with each other. Yet here we have Heather Agyepong as Sarah Ponsonby facing us, challenging us from her very first words. The very fact that we think we may know, words perhaps in our era we can say with ease but then in 1700s North Wales within the small rural area of Llangollen where the River Dee still flows, you just conformed to society within the constraints of your birthright.
I enjoyed being challenged, loved the humour. For above all else that connects us to history it’s the stories and the laughter. Sarah a shy, socially awkward youngster a description that wouldn’t be out of place today to many you meet. Sarah arrives in Ireland as a ward of Sir William (Sean Carlsen a man of many accents tonight) and Lady Betty (Emma Pallant) a couple who yearn on one hand an heir and the other a much loved child. Sarah is a replacement child close at first to Lady Betty but that bond slowly ebbs as Sir William takes an interest and encourages Sarah’s joy of gardening. That interest turns rather dark and disturbing, something I found intriguing is that all these changes are inferred, you don’t witness a great deal and it feels like our responsibility to establish the pieces of the story in our minds eye. Lady Betty becomes somewhat jealous or is it protective of Sarah and encourages her to attend school where Victoria John portraying Lady Eleanor Butler is an aide. The story moves on at pace throughout, we don’t need the nitty gritty detail we need the roller-coaster that life often is. It wasn’t a quick event that happened, they met, they fell in love and happily ever after. We must remember that these groundbreaking ladies were so far ahead of their time, but they faced fears, struggled with emotions. We must be thankful for those willing to not only break the rules they actually took the book and ripped it into tiny pieces.
I’m not here to retell the story for its plainly obvious these 2 ladies of Llangollen, hermetesses as they were labelled locally became a sensation of gossip, their story is built not by their own writings but the words of others, newspapers, we know that words can change from person to person.
The Second Act saw Emma Pallant take her part in portraying another strong woman as the ladys maid/servant Mary, reminding us with a great deal of humour and laughter that romance isn’t just roses grown in a garden. She was woken at 2am for the dash to the ferry, she carried the luggage, she continues to scrub the skid marks for life is real. On a whole the performances are polished and we the audience draw so much, it’s a story of life long love deep and forbidden. The story of strong women from those who yearn for the love of a child, a maid who feels the love of her mistresses not just as an employee but as family. To the modern day museum restoration and upkeep of Plas Newyydd at Llangollen. It is a reminder that girl power was never a Spice Girl invention but in fact has always been within every female regardless of birth right.