The Road To Nab End – Oldham Coliseum Theatre
Writer: William Woodruff
Adaptor: Philip Goulding
Director: Kevin Shaw
Reviewer: Rebecca Mickler
The Public Reviews Rating: 
The play adaptation of William Woodruff’s bestselling autobiography – The Road To Nab End; is an appealing premiere for Oldham Coliseum Theatre. A glimpse into one man’s upbringing in a town where a community relies so heavily on a declining industry and how William Woodruff surpassed poverty and drudgery to become a critically acclaimed academic and writer, is an inspirational story to see unfold.
Writer Philip Goulding has chosen to show a nostalgic view of a life around the Cotton mill workhouses where families lived and worked together to make ends meet. From the account of William’s birth on the floor of the mill where his Mother worked, to his father’s job of cleaning the bird droppings off the town statue; each event is referred to with an equal measure of comedy and meaning. William as an old man living in the ‘sunshine state’ of Florida takes the audience into his life as the boy Billy in Blackburn. A community steeped in the traditions of Cotton weaving; they see it as a trade that cannot be stopped. Billy’s father cannot see sense in taking up his daughter’s prestigious offer of a scholarship to Preston Grammar when she has a job for life at the mills. And just when Billy is entering adolescence and a time where he too could have a job for life at the mills, the great depression hits his family and the community making thousands unemployed. Blackburn’s cotton trade never fully recovers and Billy is left looking for a way out before it becomes too late.
Kenneth Alan Taylor (as older William) narrates the story well and helps untangle an often confused plot. The play jumps from decade to decade and back again in quick succession. Key events of Woodruff’s life like his relationship with his Grandma as a boy could have been examined more to gain a deeper significance with the audience. However, the songs performed by the cast as a whole, and musically directed by Howard Gray, offer a unique and heart-warming alternative to setting a scene or creating atmosphere within the play and were a nice touch. Also Jo Mousley was wonderfully distinctive in performing varying characters including Brenda Woodruff and Betty Weatherby.
The Road To Nab End is an ambitious adaptation that explores the virtues of close-knit families and communities when facing adversity. It is a play that reminds you that even though we are facing similar struggles now in the form of recession, that looking to family, friends and even oneself can offer solace on the road to recovery. A thought-provoker!
Runs until 10th July
Tags: Howard Gray, Jo Mousley, Kenneth Alan Taylor, Kevin Shaw, Oldham, Oldham Coliseum, Philip Goulding, The Road To Nab End, William Woodruff
2:22 pm on June 19th, 2010
So delighted today to find out that William Woodruff’s book = “Road To Nab End” was made into a play!! Great News!!
I so very much enjoyed page by page ~ reading this book = Bringing home rush of so many memories. Both funny+painful!
Whilst growing up in pre-war + WW11 years in Bolton area + Blackburn ~ before moving on to a better life in Yorkshire; Then Canada for the last 60 years…
Loved his style of writing… RIP William…
2:24 pm on June 19th, 2010
very good
8:44 pm on June 19th, 2010
Having the misfortune to live in this one horse primeval town [Oldham] I sometimes go to the “rep” But never have I seen the Oldham company put so much effort in to a play, or seen a result as enthralling as the opening night was. If you make a point of not going to the Coliseum, for fear of, at best, mediocre performance, make this an exception.
However some things may improve, the lovely clean costumes, 1930’s. so,So clean, and despite the darning of socks, by bill’s mother. Not a patch, rip or tear to be seen on the cloth worn dally for work.
The direct addressing to the front of house, and out of character did not do anything to strengthen a other wise strong and convincing reading.———-Typical of the Sally Ann!
And ! of course the fluffing of a line or so on a first night, could be over looked. Unlike the rustle of sweet and crisp wrappers.