The stars shone brightly over the city of Hull on Wednesday evening, but none shone brighter than those gracing the Hull Truck Theatre stage, when they brought to life Yorkshire playwright Richard Bean’s bittersweet comedy To Have and To Hold.
The star-studded cast did a marvellous job with a wonderful script, on a magnificent stage setting.
Before “curtain up” and from my vantage point on the front row, I was able to admire the stage setting of comfy Dralon-covered sofa, recliner armchairs, Ercol-type tables, corded phones and stair-lift – obviously a well-loved, but dated home of an elderly couple.
The pair – Florence (Paula Wilcox, star of 1970s sitcom Man About The House), and 91-year-old Jack (Ian Bartholomew, of Coronation Street fame) – bicker their way through their twilight years in hilarious scenes that had us in the audience laughing non-stop.
Ex-copper Jack is as curmudgeonly as they come, and the quieter, calmer Florence gives as good as she gets. After more than 60 years of marriage the pair hold nothing back in their criticism of each other. But their love for each other is later revealed.
Enter their son and daughter – Rob (DCI Banks himself, Stephen Tompkinson, also of Ballykissangel and Wild at Heart fame) and Tina (Rebecca Johnson aka Rob Brydon’s wife, Sally, in The Trip series).
Author Rob lives in London, making frequent trips to the US, while globe-trotter Tina, CEO of a medical company, lives in Somerset with her hubby.
Rob is desperate to tape his father’s memoirs from his time in the Police force, but his dad won’t have any of it. However, Jack’s big secret is eventually revealed in very moving scenes.
Both summoned to their childhood home in the East Yorkshire village of Wetwang, they are about to discover their trusting parents are being conned out of £200 per month by someone they trust.
But who could it be?
The siblings are aghast to learn their mum and dad regularly hand over their bank cards and pin numbers to local wheeler dealer “Rhubarb” Eddie (Hull Truck regular, Adrian Hood), a gentle giant of a man who is a dab hand at growing, you’ve guessed it, rhubarb – on the allotment Jack has handed over to him (much to the chagrin of his son, Rob).
Also offering much needed help is Rob and Tina’s cousin Pam (Sara Beharrell, who is well-known to Hull Truck Theatre audiences).
The trouble is, and here is when poignancy kicks hilarity into touch, as reality hits us squarely in the chops – this elderly couple are no longer capable of looking after themselves in their own home.
With their “educated:” grown-up children living away, Florence and Jack have had no choice but to trust others with their finances etc; and had never noticed the unusual direct debit leaving their joint account each month.
The con merchant is uncovered, but not until feelings are deeply hurt, false accusations tossed around and sadness rears its ugly head.
To Have and To Hold is mesmerising from the start. The opening scene of Florence operating her Stannah-style stair lift is hysterically funny.
Wilcox is so believable as the oft forgetful wife and it was only when the actors took their final bow did we realise how youthful looking she is and how amazing her acting had been with her stooped figure, “old lady” face and so on.
Tompkinson, meanwhile, showed just why he had starred in so many well-known roles. He has what I call a proper theatre voice, so not one word is missed. And he morphed between impatience, anger, love, laughter and grief with such ease. So passionate was his acting, he had to turn around and wipe his tears away before he could face the audience for the final bow.
But everyone on stage played their part in keeping us entertained – nay gripped – for well over two hours.
Award-winning director Terry Johnson ensured this amazing cast did more than justice to Bean’s script. And when the talking stopped and the lights dimmed at times while the stage setting or the actors changed, the glorious voice of Jack’s favourite crooner, American country singer Jim Reeves, echoed around the theatre.
This fabulous production, a regional premiere, is the perfect ending to Hull Truck’s “Made in Hull” summer season. A prolonged standing ovation was the least we in the audience could do to show our appreciation.
*Recommended age 14+
To Have and To Hold is at Hull Truck Theatre until 24th May. Tickets are on sale from (01482) 323638 or www.hulltruck.co.uk
Reviewer: Jackie Foottit
Reviewed: 7th May 2025
North West End UK Rating: