To Kill A Mockingbird
Mark Bailey’s design shows an empty, dusty road with a rusty tractor and some wooden crates. Welcome to Maycomb, Alabama in 1935 where a black man is accused of the rape of a white girl.
A scene from To Kill A Mockingbird at Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold Photo: Catherine Ashmore
Welcome also to the innocent eyes of a tomboy known as Scout and her father, defence lawyer Atticus Finch, resolute believer in mankind and the power of law.
On that nearly bare set, a whole time and place is brought to life. Harper Lee’s semi-autobiographical novel and the superb film have their own strong presence, but anyone who sees Tim Baker’s phenomenal production will now have other images in their mind.
Amy Morgan as Scout is winning, as is Joshua McCord as her gawky older brother Jem. Together they live and breathe childhood daring.
The power of Simon Armstrong’s white trash racist is breathtakingly malignant. Rhian Blythe is superb as his daughter, the accuser, who seems to become her father as the trial continues.
Oliver Wilson hits exactly the right note as Tom, the cowed defendant.
Towering over all, though, is Gwyn Vaughan Jones’ Atticus. Here is a man who utterly believes in the reasonableness of mankind and will do his best to see justice done. He is integrity personified. His long summing up gradually silenced the coughers in the audience and then commanded utter silence.
For his performance alone, this gripping and highly emotional production should be seen, but there’s so much more to it than that - as the standing ovation showed very clearly.
Production information
- By:
- Harper Lee, adapted by Christopher Sergel
- Management:
- Clwyd Theatr Cymru
- Cast:
- Simon Armstrong, Rhian Blythe, Richard Elfyn, Eva Fontaine, Gwyn Vaughan Jones, Joshua McCord, Amy Morgan, Denise Orita, Alex Parry, Reginald Tsiboe, Oliver Wilson
- Director:
- Tim Baker
- Design:
- Mark Bailey
- Sound:
- Kevin Heyes
- Lighting:
- Nick Beadle
- Musical direction:
- Dyfan Jones, who also composes
Production information can change over the run of the show.
Run sheet
- Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Anthony Hopkins Mold
- February 9-27 2010
- New Cardiff
- March 2- 6 2010
- Grand Swansea
- March 9-13 2010
- Theatr Brycheiniog Brecon
- March 15-16 2010
- Theatr Hafren Newtown
- March 18-20 2010
- Torch Milford Haven
- March 22-24 2010
- Arts Centre Aberystwyth
- March 26-27 2010
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