Willis Hall (1929–2005)

Sometimes plays adapted from long classic novels simply do not work on stage but Willis Hall has done a first-rate job. It is very faithful and almost all the lines are Charlotte Bronte's word for word. He plays up the "ghost story" element with Bertha Mason creeping around in the gallery in between scenes and the whole cast doubles as narrators to voice Jane's inner thoughts. The only downfall is that the fabulous scene in which Rochester dresses up like a fortune-telling gypsy is cut. A real shame!… (mehr)

One of my favourite books, a hilarious day in the life of Billy Fisher as he tries to uproot himself from his Yorkshire life to go and work as a scriptwriter in London. Unfortunately his compulsive lying means there is a lot to untangle before he can go, and in this day it all comes back to haunt him - his 3 engagements, the calendars he never posted for work, the idle lies about his family he told a friends mum to fill a quiet moment etc. Seemingly unable to even be truthful to himself he spends his time daydreaming and talking in comic banter. My favourite scene is when he runs into Councillor Duxbury whilst out walking and keeps using invented Yorkshire dialect by mistake in his conversation with him, then has a dawning realisation that Councillor Duxbury is not as daft/senile as he had thought.… (mehr)