Hot property - Once In A House On Fire at The Lowry (From Messenger Newspapers)

Hot property - Once In A House On Fire at The Lowry

10:53am Friday 1st April 2011 in Theatre Reviews By Rick Bowen

AFTER watching Once In A House On Fire I felt both moved and inspired. The resilience of the human spirit never ceases to amaze me and this remarkable piece of writing celebrates our ability to survive when the temptation to go under, to give up, is an overwhelming one.

The piece, currently being staged at The Lowry Studio, has been written by Flixton raised Sarah McDonald Hughes and is based on the book by Andrea Ashworth. McDonald Hughes is one seriously talented writer and I like the way she lets the story tell itself without overtly playing on the audience’s emotions.

We follow three Manchester girls growing up in the 70s and 80s. Dad is dead and their mum moves from one abusive relationship to another. But her kids are born survivors and the end of the play, bleak in one respect, is full of hope.

Performances from members of Monkeywood Theatre are strong and feel very believable. If only I had space to name them all. Francesca Waite excels as Lorraine and Sarah McDonald Hughes as Andrea, the brain box of the family. You’ll also be terrified of Terry, Lorraine’s final fella, thanks to a menacing performance from Ted Holden.

Monkeywood and McDonald Hughes are a potent combination and I hope they’ll be around for a long, long time to come. Outstanding and uncompromising - you simply musn’t miss this.

* Until April 2 and repeated on April 11. The box office is on 0843 208 6000. Star rating - *****