Solihull Arts Complex

"A humorous historic drama with great Black Country voices”

A play by Adrian Johnson - writer of the hit show ‘Babsolutely Fabulous’

It’s Christmas 1918 and Wednesbury’s greatest writer and teacher, Frederick Hackwood, is confined to bed while his mother, wife and daughter come together and recall, with laughter, Frederick's amazing stories, ale house songs, bawdy mummers plays, football, dance, myths, legends and how Charles Dickens influenced his work from a very young age.

But change is in the air too, a General Election, sensational tales of Suffragette, Christabel Pankhurst, in Smethwick, and thoughts to leave the Black Country for London are promoted by Frederick’s idealistic daughter, Louisa.

Will he stay or go? Can Hackwood's devoted family ever agree to such an idea and, moreover, will Frederick?