Pure golden Honey

A Taste of Honey, Lowry, to Saturday

“THERE are two W’s in your future, work and want”,

These were the words of wisdom bestowed on feisty teenager Jo by her slut of a mother, whose vague attempts at motherhood fell really quite short in Shelagh Delaney’s iconic turn of the Fifties drama

“A Taste of Honey” is one of the great taboo-breaking plays of its time. Man-loving mother Helen (Julie Riley) runs off with Peter (James Weaver), leaving behind her teenage daughter Jo (Rebecca Ryan), who faces another Christmas alone in grimy digs.

Unsurprisingly, Jo looks for her own taste of honey, falling in love with a black sailor, Jimmie (Lekan Lawal) who promises to marry her before he sets sail again.

He leaves her pregnant and alone, before student Geoff (Christopher Hancock) moves in to sleep on the sofa and take the role of surrogate father.

Full of wry humour, the play brings many laughs despite it being at times raw and painful.

The small cast of five is brilliant, bringing their roles to life in a very believable manner.