DEAR DAUGHTER

by John Waterhouse

 

 

A true story, set across suburban Manchester villages in the early years of the Twentieth century. Shortly before her death in 1993, Flora Jewsbury wrote a memoir about a difficult adolescence before and during the First World War. The play is faithful to the memoir, with no embellishments, containing a moving account of a young girl placed with a childless couple only to end up becoming an effective servant. Being moved from one house to another, Flora had no real family but eventually moved in various circles, from the Rechabite religious sect to the Manchester theatre world. . It is a story of triumph over adversity. It is also a time capsule of domestic life in Britain around the time of the Great War.

The play was first performed at Bolton Little Theatre on 7^th April 2014.

 

REVIEW

Read a review of Dear Daughter here

 

PRODUCTION NOTE

There are a number of photographs of the real characters in the play available for any company wishing to undertake a production of Dear Daughter

 

Further fascinating background to this play can be found in these news articles – please click the links;

Article 1

Article 2

Article 3

 

CHARACTERS

Female 1 –                         

Flora’s Mother – 30’s

The Angel

Sarah (Tom’s wife)

 

Female 2 –                         

Flora (Flora, aged 12-20)

 

Female 3 –                         

Hilda, Flora’s friend (aged around 8-16)

Marian Crossley – 30’s

Miss Brown, Headmistress at Moston Lane.

 

Male 1 –                             

Stanley, Flora’s brother – Early 20’s.

Newsboy.

Charles – Early 20’s.

Director – 40’s.

Uncle Will – 40’s

Sidney Jewsbury – 40’s

 

Male 2 –                              

Tom Crossley – 40’s

Fred Rider, a policeman – 30’s

Flora’s Father – 30’s

Harry –late teens.

Alban – early twenties

 

RUNNING TIME

90 MINUTES

 

PREVIEW

Preview available here