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It's not all work and war for the Tallentires...

Before I set off for work this morning I heard Melvyn Bragg on the radio telling us about the goodies on offer in today's edition of his weekly radio programme In Our Time. I have to confess that it sounded as though it might be really interesting even though I didn't understand a word he said. The same can certainly not be said of the musical version of The Hired Man which was adapted for the stage with composer Howard Goodall providing the score. I'm tempted to say what a difference a song or two makes when you are trying to tell a long complex story on a fixed stage in just 90 minutes but that would be unfair to Melvyn. I enjoyed the production so much I think I'll definitely be going out to buy the book.

The Hired Man starts and ends at a Hiring Fair. It tells the story of John and Emily Tallentire from the early days of their marriage in 1898 until Emily's death at some point after the First World War. The couple consider themselves to be very much in love but they find adapting to a life together is a lot more difficult than they expected. 'Is this all there is to life?' is perhaps the predominant question being asked not just by John and Emily but by most of the other characters during the first act. Emily finds some sort of companionship with Jackson (Simon Pontin), the farmer's son while John (Richard Colvin) is finding that he can get more out of life when he goes hunting with his brother – more of that later.

John works long hours but takes great pride in his skills as an agricultural worker. However, by the second act he has joined his brothers down the pit and gets involved with the union. The men – and boys - go off to war and any bad feelings there may have been between John and Jackson are more than resolved in the Flanders mud. By this time John and Emily's love for each other is no longer in doubt.

Emily (Claire Sundin) and John (Richard Colvin)

And, just in case you are thinking this is just another 'It's grim up north' or 'when I was a lad it was so bad…' sort of thing, think again! Nor should you let the musical format put you off. I got the feeling that, despite somewhat chilly conditions in the theatre, the Wakefield audience were really caught up with the tragic events on stage. I think I heard at least one person behind me biting back tears at the end of the show.

The Hired Man is certainly not Hamlet or King Lear but tragedy on this scale was experienced by many, many families in the early part of the 20th century. In his programme notes (reproduced for the present production) Bragg tells us the story is very loosely based on the life of his grandfather. He writes: "His part in it – like that of the majority of people in this country – was humble; he worked."ΜύNot such a fashionable subject these days so it's to theatre company New Perspectives' credit that they have brought the musical to new audiences in their refreshing new production.

Although set in Cumbria there is much that is relevant to our past here in West Yorkshire. People here worked on the land and in the coalmines in much the same way. When John goes hunting it's not with the 'toffs' on horses but with his brother on foot in much the same way as the Holme and Colne Valley Beagles hunted until fairly recently.

And now for the music, which I really liked! This is not the sort of musical which boasts show-stopping numbers. Probably - at first hearing at any rate - you won't be driving home with the tunes going round and round in your head but I can't think of a better way of telling the story. See if you can catch the show somewhere and hear it for yourself.

There may have been a few timing problems at the start off the show but the cast soon got into their stride. However, while this may be the story of The Hired Man,ΜύI think for me it was really his wife Emily's story and Claire Sundin's charismatic performance which seemed to pull the whole thing together. Katie Howell as daughter May was just a pleasure to watch and Musical Director Richard Reeday – on stage throughout – played a mean piano. Juliet Shillingford's cleverly designed set was one minute the family home and the next a scene at the Battle of Passchendaele, not to mention the Hiring Fair or a coal seam.

Places like Wakefield may no longer have their Hiring Fairs but this musical deals with uncertainties that are just as relevant today as the time in which the musical is set.

Christine Verguson saw New Perspectives Theatre Company's productionΜύ of The Hired Man by Melvyn Bragg and Howard Goodall at the Theatre Royal, Wakefield, on Wednesday, February 29th, 2008.