GoingVintage

New social comedy takes gender roles back to the 1950s

Laura Wade’s award-winning play, Home, I’m Darling, focuses on the character of Judy, a modern-day woman who chooses to live her life like the perfect 1950s housewife.

Jessica Ransom, who stars as Judy when the play stops off in Birmingham this month, talks to What’s On about the Olivier Award-winning comedy...

Could you imagine a life in which keeping the perfect home is the number one priority? Where each room is cleaned every day, where your television only shows programmes from the 1950s, and where the mobile phone is locked away?

This is the world conjured up in Laura Wade’s play, Home, I’m Darling, which premiered in 2018, won the Olivier Award for best new comedy and comes to Birmingham theatre The Alexandra this month.

The story is a social comedy about a couple, Judy and Johnny, whose nostalgia for the 1950s goes so far that they not only kit their house out in vintage style but also adopt the gender roles of that time.

But when Judy leaves a successful job to become a housewife dedicated to cleaning and cooking, they discover that not everything from the past can be brought into the present...

Jessica Ransom, who is probably best known for playing medical receptionist Morwenna Newcross in television series Doc Martin, takes the part of Judy, and is full of admiration for the play.

“It’s brilliantly written, and such an interesting study into gender roles and relationships, so it prompts such interesting conversations. When we do question & answer sessions after the play, we have such a range of questions. Some people take away that it’s a play about feminism, some people very much side with Johnny - with the idea of why does he tolerate this woman who lives in the ’50s? - and others take the side of Judy and see the appeal of this ‘perfect housewife’ life.

“I had some friends come and see it in Bath, and they noticed how many couples coming to see it, particularly couples of retirement age or just shy of that, were nudging each other at points when it was clearly something pertinent to their relationship. It starts people off on the point to having these conversations, which is really fun.”

For Jessica, Judy’s choice to become the ideal housewife is what lies at the heart of Home, I’m Darling.

“Judy is a 38-year-old very clever university- educated woman who worked in finance but has always had this real affinity with the ’50s. It’s not just the aesthetics but also the values and being a housewife, providing for your husband, making your house look beautiful and making yourself look beautiful.

“There is a lot to be admired in her because she’s made a positive decision to live the life she wants to live. So, for example, she says in the play, ‘Why isn’t what I do valued like going out to work and having a job? I’m working hard scrubbing the floors and making the dinner, and why shouldn’t that be valued?’

“She has a big argument with her mum, Sylvia - played brilliantly by Diane Keenabout ‘Why is this not feminism? If feminism is about choice, and I’m making a choice to be a housewife, then why isn’t that okay?’ I think that’s really fascinating - the discussion at the heart of it really interests me.”

But there are consequences to cutting out the world in a society dominated by media, social media and mobiles.

“Judy and Johnny very much reject that world. They have a laptop, to buy their vintage things from eBay, but aside from that, he puts his mobile phone in the drawer when he gets home and they don’t watch contemporary telly. They are doing it because they love it, and she absolutely loves her life when we first meet her.

“But what’s interesting is that, over time, because they’ve been living this life for three years when we meet them, it’s been putting up barriers. And so it’s put her in a position where the outside world is an unknown place and a bit scary to her, so it’s a really fascinating part to play.”

In 2023 it may be hard to believe anyone could spend all day being the perfect housewife, but Jessica says reel back 70 years and, for many women, it was the norm.

“In the play, we reference a real book that we have an actual copy of on set called How To Run Your Home Without Help, which is a 1949 book by Kay Smallshaw. It’s about the weekly tasks of how you run your home, and it’s literally like a military operation. You do your washing on a Monday, your baking on a

Friday. Every room you do lightly every day, and each afternoon you do one or two rooms properly. Judy talks a lot about cleaning behind things and under things, properly cleaning and polishing the cutlery.

“I look at my house and see things that are dusty, but Judy’s house would never have anything dusty; everything would be spic and span. You can make being a housewife full time, especially if you’re baking all the time and making your own piccalilli and marmalade. I can say I am in no way following this in my own life, but it is quite admirable.”

But a bit of Judy has rubbed off on Jessica... “I certainly notice things that I don’t do! I’m on tour with work so certainly not staying at home being a ’50s housewife. But there is a bit of ‘just do that now because then it’s done’ that I feel like I’ve suddenly caught from Judy. Also, at the opening of the show, she just kind of drifts into the kitchen and enjoys the beautiful day, the sunlight hitting their beautiful kitchen, and the sitting down to breakfast. These are things that can be appreciated, rather than always having podcasts on or shoving Weetabix into your children. Judy makes you think about doing one thing at a time.”

Jessica, who grew up in Sheffield, is looking forward to the show’s run at The Alexandrashe studied drama at University of Birmingham 20 years ago and has family links to the city.

“My mum is from Birmingham, so I’ve got loads of family coming - Saturday matinee will be pretty raucous. I spent three years living there at university and I wouldn’t be here now if it wasn’t for my time in Birmingham. I knew the city well before then because my nan lived in Druids Heath and we were always coming back. I’m really excited about the Alex dates - it’s always exciting to come to somewhere that you know you’re going to have a home crowd.”

Home, I’m Darling shows at The Alexandra, Birmingham, from Tuesday 25 to Saturday 29 April

It’s been a long time since I’ve eaten tapas in Birmingham. My review of Edgbaston’s El Borracho de Oro, which is sadly no longer operating, is dated summer 2016. I gave it five stars. Almost seven years later comes another five star review. My first in a while, in fact.

One of the city’s most recently opened eateries, Plates By Purnell’s is - as the name suggests - a new venture by Glynn Purnell, owner of Michelin-starred restaurant Purnell’s.

Reasonably priced sharing plates, inspired by classic Spanish tapas, are what you’ll find at Glynn’s new venue - a fact which makes it, for most people, a more financially viable option than his Michelin restaurant.

My partner and I visited on a fully booked Friday evening. I’ll be honest; I’d be very surprised if there’s any Friday evening in the foreseeable future that doesn’t see the restaurant fully booked. After all, Glynn is a familiar and trusted face. And then there’s the fact that great tapas is something the city has lacked for quite some time.

Boasting mosaic tiles, chunky wooden tables and an orange, green and black interior, the venue is perfect. It’s warm, cosy and dimly lit, with tantalising aromas exciting your senses as soon as you walk in the door; exactly what you want from a tapas restaurant.

The dishes here are good. Very good. So are the cocktails. And the sangria.

My partner and I were seated by the open kitchen at the front of the venue. Although at full capacity, the small kitchen team remained focused and composed. The orders were coming in thick and fast, and the dishes were flying out at the same pace. And what’s more, from what we could gather, it was a very first shift for one of the chefs, so hats off to him.

Bubbles to start, accompanied by the humble Pan con Tomate. Five ingredients: bread, tomato, olive oil, garlic and salt. Simplicity at its very best. We piled the sweet tomatoes high on the toasted bread and knew instantly we were going to like it at Plates. The classic patatas bravas provided a double dose of tomato. The crispy potatoes were generously smothered in a rich, smoky sauce and topped with grated manchego. It was up there with the nicest patatas bravas dishes I’ve had anywhere - major Spanish cities included.

The creamy cheese croquettes with chorizo mayo were as comforting as they sound, and the lightly fried aubergine chips with truffle honey were one of the highlights of the evening. Don’t leave without sampling some.

I mentioned before that the dishes were reasonably priced. The cheapest comes in at £2.50 and the most expensive £9. I would happily pay more than £9 for the cod dish I ordered. A jug of nicely made sangria arrived at the table. There’s no skimping on alcohol here.

The tender squid, which was coated in light and crispy salt & pepper batter, was served with a lemon mayonnaise. The citrus hit was apparent without being too overpowering. The same can be said for the cod...

...Oh, the cod! The perfectly cooked piece of fish, which flaked away at barely a touch, sat in the most beautiful sauce. Featuring a hint of lemon - there was some sweet onion in there too, to balance out the flavoursit was the most wonderful taste experience. Be sure to order more bread to mop it all up! We actually ordered every dish from the fish & seafood section. Another classic arrived: the juiciest of prawns with garlic and chilli. This was followed by the octopus. Its tender and perfectly cooked pieces - served alongside vibrant, sweet piquillo pepper sauce and pieces of hazelnuts for additional texture - was another of the evening’s highlights. I’ll be ordering it again when I return. From fish, to meat. Chicken thigh and chorizo, to be more specific. The chorizo dish couldn’t have been further away from your standard hard pieces of chorizo sitting in far too much oil. These meaty little offerings were splendidly soft and bathing in the most deliciously sweet, thick cider, honey & white onion sauce, topped with strips of green apple for sharpness. Think French onion soup. Somewhere close in both comfort and flavour, it was yet another highlight. In a contrast of flavours, the chicken was cooked in wholegrain mustard and sat atop shredded lettuce in an almost-vinaigrette dressing. Savoury over. On to the sweet. “A couple of espresso martinis to go with the desserts?” says the manager. Now there’s a suggestion I’d never turn down! There were two sweet options available, alongside a Spanish cheese selection.

A unique take on the traditional dessert in terms of presentation, the custard from the ‘crema catalana’ was served in a bowl, with the caramelised sugar served in shards. It’s one of those desserts that just makes you feel good. The beautifully moist orange & poppy seed sponge cake was topped with a sweet orange cream and hazelnuts. It rounded off our evening perfectly.

There are not many better feelings than leaving a restaurant completely satisfied. This was one of those times. When you’ve eaten so much great food, it’s sometimes hard not to compare or find fault with things, even when it’s not your intention to. I found fault with nothing here. The cooking, the flavours, the presentationeverything was spot on. The staff were great too, the manager especially.

I was going to refrain from saying that Plates By Purnell’s is exactly what Birmingham has needed, because the phrase has been overused - but the truth is this: Plates By Purnell’s is exactly what Birmingham has needed!

The tapas-shaped hole in the city’s culinary offer - starkly evident since the closure of El Borracho in 2019 - has finally been filled.

Plates team, take a bow.

Lauren Foster

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Plates By Purnell’s 119 Edmund Street Birmingham, B3 2HJ

Tel: 0121 461 9254