Harold Brighouse’s Hobson’s Choice, a co-production between three theatres, is about to open at Newcastle-under-Lyme’s New Vic Theatre.
Bolton’s Octagon Theatre, Oldham Coliseum and the New Vic have collaborated on the play, set in Salford in 1880.
Widower Henry Hobson is struggling to handle his three grown-up daughters. Each is looking for a husband and an escape from the family-run boot maker’s shop.
But with Hobson spending more time in the pub than with boots and clogs, the future prosperity of the family firm rests in the hands of his eldest daughter Maggie.
When Maggie sets her sights on boot maker Willie Mossop it’s the beginning of an unlikely partnership that could threaten the future of Hobson’s trade. A battle of the sexes is on the cards as father and daughter go head to head in this classic comedy.
Octagon Theatre artistic director David Thacker who directs Hobson’s Choice said, “I’m thrilled to work with such a fantastic cast to bring this great northern production to life, and I’m so pleased that it’s touring to Newcastle-under-Lyme and Oldham so that it can be enjoyed by audiences there.”
Maxwell Hutcheon plays Henry Hobson. He has appeared in A Jovial Crew, All’s Well That Ends Well and The Taming of the Shrew for the Royal Shakespeare Company and recently performed A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Othello and Cyrano de Bergerac at Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre, Chester.
On television he has had parts in Band of Brothers, Holby City, Doctors and Trial and Retribution.
Natalie Grady plays Maggie Hobson. She appeared as Yvette in the Library Theatre Company’s production of Mother Courage and her Children by Bertolt Brecht in 2013; and for the same company took the title role in D H Lawrence’s The Daughter-in-Law in 2012, being awarded best supporting actress at the Manchester Theatre Awards.
Michael Shelford takes the role of Willie Mossop. His theatre credits include Finborough Theatre’s sell-out production of John McGrath’s Events While Guarding the Bofor’s Gun, Virgin by E V Crowe at Watford Palace and Shakespeare’s The Comedy of Errors for Sprite Productions.
Television fans may also recognise him from Lewis and the fantasy drama series Game of Thrones.
Hobson’s Choice runs at the New Vic from Wednesday (26 March) until Saturday 12 April.