The Family Way
Octagon Theatre, Bolton
Monday September 7

THERE is one (rather prolonged) scene in this intriguing play that will slap you in the face and grab your attention.

In a family newspaper, it is probably best not to go into too much detail, but those who have watched the film version will probably know what I mean, and offer a mischievous smile in return.

In truth, this story centres around that magic moment (or…rather five, ten?). Everything before is scene-setting and curiosity-drawing and everything after is akin to a group sigh of relief and joy.

For the uninitiated, The Family Way tells the story of young newlywed and daydreamer Arthur Fitton (played by Harry Long) and his timidly well-mannered bride Violet (Jessica Baglow) and the struggles they face as they attempt to make a life for themselves under the intense scrutiny of relatives aplenty, particular Arthur’s father Ezra (David Birrell).

Ezra is without doubt the most complex character of all on show; his masculine bravado sits on a surface above lashings of rarely glimpsed sentimentality and intimate care.

In this performance, Birrell played Ezra to perfection, adding vital suspense and tension, as well as laugh-out-loud punchlines with impeccable timing.

His key function, however, was to draw out the two, rather brave stars in Long and Baglow as they embarked on a tremendously challenging scene, and the rest of the cast did this just as effectively.

Within this performance, there was a story with a moral about the folly of rumour spreading, a tense arm-wrestling contest and, to come back to it, ‘that scene’ which worked wonderfully thanks to some top-notch direction from Elizabeth Newman and a metaphor-laden set designed by Amanda Stoodley.

This show was admittedly silly and slapstick at times, but there were some more heartfelt and touching moments to balance the tone.

When Violet’s Uncle Fred (John Branwell) struggled to offer any useful advice during her time of trouble, his line was simply: “Love will find a way,” and there is another moment when, we are reminded that no one is perfect. Everyone has their own little faults.

And that, really, is what this well-performed and emotional rollercoaster play is all about – a journey of discovery that, as you analyse the shortcomings of others, you might very well learn your own.

For that alone, it is worth checking out during this run.

The show runs until October 3 and tickets cost between £10.50 and £27. Visit www,octagonbolton.co.uk for details.