Written by Tamsin Kennard, based on the book by Flora Thompson. We meet Laura played by Jessica Temple when she is a young schoolgirl, beginning to navigate her way through the world. Understanding the beauty in where she lives and stopping too often for her Mother’s liking to pick wild flowers.
Growing up in Larkrise deep in the Cotswolds. Fresh country air and the time of year are depicted through the flora and fauna changes. She spends most of her childhood running around the countryside with her brother Edmund (Alex Wilson). Neither realising that these moments are like the seasons will change and bring new horizons.
After a chance meeting one day with a resident and business owner from Candleford, Dorcas Lane (Rosalind Ford) Laura is offered a job by her in the post office Dorcas runs. An offer too good to turn down and the life changing position Laura is destined to take.
Laura has a spirit and zest for life, she wants to live and explore by her own rules. In one scene she agrees to the fill-in role delivering the post as the normal postman is unwell. This act of delivering the post raises a few eyebrows. After all the post should only be delivered by a man!
Lark Rise to Candleford is a perfect Theatre production fit for The Watermill Theatre. The waterwheel in the entrance foyer takes you back to days gone by to a time much like Lark Rise when life was simpler in many ways. Set and costume designer Anna Kelsey captures the essence of the period beautifully.
The cast of six bring to life two villages a few miles apart. Although Candleford is more “civilised” boasting a few shops and higher population. Although still relatively small compared to today’s rural communities who are connected to the outside world by the Internet and understand more about the world outside.
The Watermill, Theatre by the Lake and Hammerpuzzle Theatre Company have collaborated and created a wonderful reworked production of Lark Rise to Candleford.
For more information about Lark Rise to Candleford at The Watermill in Newbury and then onto Theatre by the Lake please use the links below.
Four Stars.
Photo credit Pamela Raith.
https://www.theatrebythelake.com/event/lark-rise-to-candleford/
Theatre, Art and Film Reviews 
Leave a comment