Thursday, 14 May 2026
Hobson's Choice for Hebden Bridge
Hobson's Choice, the darkly comic tale about a stubborn 1880s Salford based cobbler and his three headstrong daughters, is always a shoe-in for genuine theatre lovers.
And the good news is that this northern classic, penned in 1916 by the aptly named Harold Brighouse, is being staged at Hebden Bridge Little Theatre from 15-20 June.
Polished performances
Directed by Ros O'Connor and Neil Lloyd, the production features an exceptionally strong cast, most of whom will be familiar to regular attendees at the theatre.
None more so than the uber-talented Rachel Doyle-Richards (see photo), playing the protagonist Maggie -- Hobson's eldest daughter who transitions from an unappreciated worker to a savvy entrepreneur, defying Victorian gender roles by engineering her own marriage and establishing her own business.
Rachel says "Getting to dive into Maggie has been a real privilege as she's a brilliantly written, headstrong woman who takes control of her own life at a time when women had very little say in their futures. Exploring how she shapes her own path, and creates better lives for her sisters too, has been incredibly rewarding.
"I've particularly loved the scenes where Maggie's fierce intelligence and determination clash with her father's proud, stubborn nature. The mix of drama and humour that comes from her outsmarting him is such fun to play."
Laced with newbies
But the staging also includes two new faces. Kenny Platt, who plays Hobson's drinking pal Jim Heeler, is making his debut in straight acting after taking couple of small parts in local musicals. And Jack Smith, who has acted since the age of four - but never at the Little Theatre - plays Maggie's hen-pecked husband Willie Mossop.
Jack is taking to the UK stage for the first time since upping sticks to Beijing in 2008, and his recent relocation to Hebden Bridge promises to be a real treat for audiences here.
During 16 years in China he secured a range of professional acting roles, including speaking parts in films acting opposite Sarah Douglas (Superman 11), Luke Goss (Hellboy 11), MyAnna Buring (The Descent), in addition to Chinese stars like Chen Kun.
He says "I auditioned for Willie Mossop to stretch myself as an actor, as I feel he is the character who has the longest road to travel. It is wonderful to join him on his journey from his brutalised and tongue-tied starting point and, while I've got work to do on my Lancashire accent, it's stupendously enjoyable to bring the role to life.
"Working with my fellow cast members has really helped me find a tribe in what's still a new town to someone used to cities of teeming millions, and playing something other than a sneering colonialist or earnest foreign student is refreshing and challenging."
Nailed-on choice
The 'Hobson's Choice' -- of taking what is available or nothing at all -- refers to Willie Mossop's offer to Henry Hobson (played by Patrick Barmby) to accept him as a business partner. Hobson, although initially refusing, effectively has no choice in the matter.
The widely held belief that the well-known phrase originated from this play is, however, a load of ……..cobblers. It actually dates back to the 17th century.
Fortunately, most hearing about the opportunity to watch this production are not facing a serious choice of any kind. Attending is surely a no-brainer.
Tickets
Tickets for Hobson's Choice (June 15th to 20th) can be obtained for £11/£9 online at www.hblt.co.uk
Previously, at The Little Theatre
See this HebWeb page of some previous Little Theatre reports