Girl from the North Country (play)
| Girl from the North Country | |
|---|---|
| Written by |
Conor McPherson Bob Dylan (songs) |
| Date premiered | July 8, 2017 |
| Place premiered | The Old Vic, London |
| Original language | English |
| Setting | 1934 Duluth, Minnesota |
Girl from the North Country is a play with songs by Conor McPherson using the music and lyrics of Bob Dylan.
The play premiered at The Old Vic, in London running from 8 July to 7 October 2017, directed by McPherson.
It was announced that the play will transfer into London's West End from 29 December 2017 for a limited 12-week run until 24 March 2018.
Duluth, Minnesota, a city on the shore of Lake Superior. It's winter, 1934, and America is in the grip of the great depression.
The story is narrated by Dr Walker, physician to the Laine family. Nick Laine is the proprietor of a rundown guesthouse. The bank are threatening to foreclose on the property and he is desperate to find a way to save his family from homelessness. His wife, Elizabeth is suffering from a form of dementia which propels her from catatonic detachment to childlike, uninhibited outbursts which are becoming difficult to manage. Their children are Gene, who is in his early twenties and their adopted daughter, Marianne who is nineteen.
Marianne is five months pregnant and the identity of the father is a mystery she guards carefully. Nick is trying to arrange a marriage between Marianne and a local shoe mender, Mr Perry, in order to secure her future. The social awkwardness is complicated by the fact that Marianne is a black girl living with a white family. She was abandoned in the guesthouse as a baby and brought up by Nick and Elizabeth.
Gene is unable to get a grip on his life, and veers between ambitions of becoming a writer and debilitating alcohol binges, a situation not helped when his sweetheart, Kate, announces she is getting married to man with better prospects.
Nick has become involved in a relationship with a resident of the guest-house, Mrs Neilsen, a widow who is waiting for her late husband's will to clear probate. They dream of a better future when her money comes through, although she scolds Nick for his constant pessimism.
Also staying at the house are a family, The Burkes. Mr Burke lost his business in the crash. His wife, Laura, and his son, Elias, share a room upstairs. Elias has a learning disability and the family struggle to come to terms with their reduced state.
Late at night, during a storm, a self-styled reverend cum bible salesman, Marlowe, and a down-on-his-luck boxer, Joe Scott, arrive looking for shelter. The arrival of these characters is a catalyst, changing everything for everyone in the house.
19 Bob Dylan songs are performed by the cast throughout the play. Each is backed by instruments from the 1930's. A soundtrack was recorded for release by Sony Records at Abbey Road in August 2017.
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