A Taste Of Honey - Nottingham

It might be forty odd years old but Shelagh Delaney's play still packs a powerful punch. Reviewed by Heather Hinchley.

Well, it isn't half grim up north but the Theatre Royal's packed auditorium on Monday night did not seem to mind as they lapped up A Taste of Honey – the first work of acclaimed writer Shelagh Delaney.

Set in a dingy Salford maisonette, we follow the raucous lives and loves of long-suffering daughter Jo and her reluctant mother Helen.

I wondered if a play that pushed the boundaries, when it was first performed in the 1950s for bringing down what were then the long-standing taboos of homosexuality, illegitimacy and miscegenation could still entertain a 21st Century audience.

And, although those elements did jar with today's thinking, the cast made sure the performance felt fresh and as relevant as any modern drama.

Samantha Giles, perhaps known best for her role as Bernice in Emmerdale, put in a highly entertaining performance as the distinctly, unfeeling mother Helen and provided what was without a doubt the most raucous spectacle of the night.

However, it was Samantha Robinson who stole the show as the argumentative but loveable Jo, who we follow from down-trodden school girl to angst-ridden expectant mother.

My only criticism of the night would be that in places the set was a little too dingy and dimly lit, even for a gritty northern tale.

But all in all A Taste of Honey was a fantastic spectacle brought kicking and screaming to life by a competent five-strong cast and has left me hungry to explore more of Shelagh Delaney's work.

© BBC Nottingham, 20/6/06

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