THE Castle Players are back on stage this weekend with an adaptation of Anne Bronte’s controversial novel The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.
The story centres on Helen Huntingdon who, after escaping her oppressive marital home with her young son and assuming the identity of Mrs Graham, a widow, becomes an independent woman earning a modest living from her paintings.
The book both shocked and inspired readers in early Victorian times, with the story dubbed by some as the first feminist novel.
Taking the role of Helen is Emily Wilson, while Sam Straker stars at Arthur Huntingdon.
The play is being directed by Mary Stastny, who has been involved with The Castle Players for many years.
“My first and last stage appearances with the Players was in The Taming of the Shrew. I played Bianca in 1991 and Katerina in 2005 and I was lucky enough to play many other Shakespearean roles in between times.
“But I’ve always loved directing and, as well one summer production, The Merry Wives of Windsor, I look back fondly on several winter productions such as The Owl and The Pussycat, A Christmas Carol and Cagebirds.
“We are going against all good theatrical advice by including both a dog and a child in this play by Deborah McAndrew but only because they might upstage everyone,” she joked.
There are three performances of The Tenant of Wildfell Hall at The Witham, Barnard Castle – at 7.30pm on Friday, November 11, and at 2pm and 7.30pm on Saturday, November 12. For tickets and details, go to www.thewitham .org.uk or call the box office on 01833 631107.
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
