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A play with music set in the fields and
farms of England circa 1890. John Bartlett's
play is a lovingly created look back at those
simpler times of shepherds and squires; innocence
and indulgence; Morris men, maidens and milk-maids.
The play begins just before dawn on a May
morning. The farm labourers Nadger, 'Squibsy'
and John Harris, together with 'Old Tupp'
the shepherd and Billy Bates, the carter and
his son Nipper gradually assemble from all
over the hamlet to form the Morris men and
dance the dawn in. They are suddenly joined
by a fellow farm hand who is being pursued
by the Squire and his men for an alleged poaching
offence. The other Morris men quickly hide
him and subsequently pack him off to sea in
a fishing boat, thus enabling them the opportunity
to find the real culprit.
In parallel with this, we meet 'Squibsy' and
Dolly, two star-crossed lovers who yearn to
marry; Harold Eldridge, the miller at Lumley
Mill who may well have invented 'creative
accounting'; the Goodchild family, Henry and
Molly (the local publicans) and their daughters,
Victoria (in service at the manor house),
Joan, Violet and Emmie. There's Major Gifford
and his long-suffering wife up at the 'Big
House', sending their son Matthew off to school
at Harrow, and 'Wassname' Johnny, the village
simpleton, the catalyst in solving the poaching
problem.
The play is packed with many colourful leading
characters and a host of supporting roles
who combine to form a glorious tribute to
a bygone age that evokes both humour and pathos.
'Lumley Mill' can either be performed
in the 'Promenade' style in which the
audience are free to move at will around the
performers (an overlooked but interesting
theatrical style) or, in a normal proscenium
arch theatre.
Using the music of (preferably) a live band
playing traditional
English folk tunes, this play is an
unusual, but fascinating glimpse at the social
mores and constraints of Victorian agricultural
society. The cast list is quite large, so
there is ample scope for doubling if necessary,
or for involving a large number of actors
where this is possible.
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| Male
Principals (10) |
Female
Principals (8) |
- Nadger - farm labourer
- Jethro 'Old' Tupp - a shepherd
- Billy Bates - a carter
- Joe 'Squibsy' Randall - farm labourer
- John 'Strap' Harris - farm labourer
- 'Wassname' Johnny - a simpleton
- Henry Goodchild - the publican
- Harold Eldridge - the miller
- Convict
- Major Gifford - retired, lives at the
Manor
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- Dolly Slater - a milk-maid
- Molly Goodchild - Henry's wife
- Jessie - a country maid
- Mary Hobbs - a country maid
- Miss Kimble - the school teacher
- Sarah Flaherty - an Irish peddler
- Lily Thorn - a maid in service
- Victoria Goodchild - also in service
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| Male
Juvenile Leads (1) |
Female
Juvenile Leads (4) |
- Nipper Bates - son of Billy
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- Emmie Goodchild - fourth daughter
- Violet Goodchild - third daughter
- Joan Goodchild - second daughter
- Ruth Kitter - a girl about ten yrs old
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| Male
Support (5) |
Female
Support (8) |
- Harry Adams - farm labourer
- Constable
- Farmer Slocombe - a gentleman farmer
- Judd - the head dairyman
- Gabrial Hobbs - a sweep
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- Old Sally - head milk-maid
- Mary Olden - a milk-maid
- Gladys - a milk-maid
- Martha Jane - a milk-maid
- Mrs Hobson - the Manor housekeeper
- Mrs Gifford - the Major's wife
- Young Molly - Henry's wife-to-be
- Matty - childrens nurse at the Manor
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| Male
Juvenile Support (1) |
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- Matthew Gifford - the Major's young
son
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| Duration |
: 100 mins |
| Acts |
: 2 |
| Cast Size |
: 39 |
| Principals |
: 10m, 8f |
| Juveniles |
: 1m, 4f |
| Support |
: 5m, 8f |
| Juveniles |
: 1m |
| Sets |
: 1 |
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