A lost play by Shelagh Delaney has been rediscovered and released as an audio drama. Delaney is best known for A Taste of Honey, a classic of British theatre written in 1958 when she was just 18. Her other work includes screenplays for the films Charlie Bubbles and Dance With a Stranger. The newly found piece, Catch Me Who Can, runs for about 30 minutes and has now been transformed into a compelling audio production featuring actors Toby Jones and Rita Tushingham.
The play was discovered by Delaney's daughter Charlotte after her mother's death in 2011. It tells the story of a teenage truant and was inspired by Charlotte's own experience of running away from home and school at age 14 in 1978. Charlotte herself has adapted the work for audio. The main action involves a confrontation between the runaway, named Hattie, and her maths teacher, who encounters her while out jogging in a park. He represents order and discipline, while Hattie embodies the desire for freedom and self-expression.
Delaney fills the play with her characteristic sharp dialogue. Hattie, much like the teenage Jo in A Taste of Honey, constantly asks probing questions. Rita Tushingham, who played Jo in the famous 1961 film, appears as an itinerant bag lady. The piece captures a snapshot of London life in 1978, with references to the social turbulence of that era. Produced by Polly Thomas, the drama highlights Delaney's gift for natural conversation and her understanding of youth. The result is a small but genuine treasure from a significant British playwright.
Sources: theguardian.com
The words in bold are from the article.
| 1. rediscovered | a. snapshot view |
| 2. classic | b. school skipper |
| 3. screenplays | c. gem |
| 4. truant | d. found again |
| 5. confrontation | e. represents |
| 6. embodies | f. searching |
| 7. probing | g. argument |
| 8. itinerant | h. film scripts |
| 9. snapshot | i. wandering |
| 10. treasure | j. landmark |
1.d 2.j 3.h 4.b 5.g 6.e 7.f 8.i 9.a 10.c