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No country for old women: Old Ladies - at Finborough Theatre

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The day after seeing The Old Ladies at the Finborough Theatre , I was describing the play to someone in great detail: about three old ladies who lived in a rickety house in southern England in 1935. Based on Hugh Walpole’s novel and adapted by Rodney Ackland, it is the sort of story with enough believability, humour and mild thriller to stick in your mind. Perhaps it is the lure of this dark, forboding tale of a life without money, to be alone and to be old, that makes you feel attracted to this poverty porn. But then again, given the state of the world, the cost of living, an ageing population, or just the fact that it’s a dog-eat-dog world, it might as well be an every little old lady-for-herself, too. It’s a well-acted and staged piece that moves at a brisk pace, so there isn’t much time to think about it too much. And in the intimate (or should that be claustrophobic?) space of the Finborough, there’s nowhere to avert your eyes. Even if you wanted to.  The scene is a grim Cathe...

Meanwhile somewhere in rural England: Weald @Finborough



Weald, the new play by Daniel Foxsmith currently playing at the Finborough Theatre, is a funny and   intriguing piece about rural life in England and the bond between men.

The premise is that Jim arrives home after six years away in need of work at a livery yard. It is only temporary as he needs the work. Sam, the older man and father figure to him, reluctantly agrees.

As they get back to work, it is as if they were picking up where they left off. But in the years since Jim left, both have changed. The harsh economic realities for both of them mean that things are going to be as they were before.




The story of the economic decline of rural England is familiar enough. But what's great about this play is that its a story of two strong male characters. The humour, the conversations that trail off and the bonding over a cup of tea.

David Crellin as Sam captures the cragginess and humour of a man who has seen it all. While Dan Parr as Jim captures the enthusiasm and contradictions of a young man who wants a simple life, yet has commitments and obligations. The two men bond well together and give this play its strength.


The rural setting is also evocative from both the writing and clever staging by Director Bryony Shanahan. It is beautifully realised in the space of the Finborough.

All told it is a gentle observation of male bonding until the bloody climax. The ending seems a little rushed (and a bit shocking) for what had been the steady pace up to that point. But along the way it was insightful and funny.

Weald is a Snuff Box Theatre production playing at the Finborough Theatre through to 27 February.

⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎⭐︎

Photos by Alex Brenner.

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