Husbands and Sons – Manchester School of Theatre
DH Lawrence called success 'the bitch goddess', during his lifetime he suffered constant vilification with his work dismissed as little more than pornography, dying before he could see his vindication as one of the most important writers of the 20th century. His depiction of the details of working-class life in Nottinghamshire in the years before and after the first World War finds its apogee in 'Sons and Lovers' and 'Women in Love', but it is a 2015 condensing of three of his short plays, adapted by Ben Power, that Manchester School of Theatre present this evening. Despite some excellent central performances and innovative direction, the piece never wholly manages to satisfy as a single entity.
We begin with 'A Collier's Friday Night' exploring the simple lives and loves of the Lamber...