Mutton – West Park United Reformed Church, Harrogate

Writer: Chris Singleton

Director: Lucy Campbell

Brave Words’ Mutton resurrects the extraordinary – and extraordinarily slippery – Mary Bateman, the so-called Yorkshire Witch, with a swaggering mix of dark comedy, gutsy characters and a sharp contemporary pulse. Set against the turbulence of 1809, the play retells Bateman’s rise and fall as a swindler, scammer and self-styled sorceress who promised protection to the desperate and downtrodden. What emerges is a story that’s as much about modern Britain as it is about Georgian Leeds: a timely reflection on poverty, power, and the dangerous allure of anyone who claims they can make life easier.

Writer Chris Singleton roots the script firmly in historical fact while delivering something undeniably modern in tone. Drawing on influences from Fleabag to The League of Gentlemen, he gives Bateman a knowing, acerbic voice that breaks the fourth wall and refuses to apologise for its audacity. Under Lucy Campbell’s tight, inventive direction, the production thrives on minimal props, bold choices and a fluid use of space – including well-placed moments that unfold behind and among the audience.

Kathryn Hanke’s Mary Bateman is instantly magnetic: bantering with the audience who have, she reminds them, come to see her hanged. Hanke balances mischief with menace, comedy with an iron resolve, giving Mary a surprising emotional core. Yes, she’s a liar and a con artist – but here she’s also a woman navigating a world stacked against her. Hanke’s comic timing crackles, and she brings a welcome streak of zaniness to a character.

The ensemble around her elevates the story with sharp performances. David Chafer’s gallery of odious men is a highlight; each character is distinct, unpleasant and horribly believable. His turn as the vile William Perrigo pays off with a particularly cathartic comeuppance. Claire O’Connor offers strong contrasts, playing the quietly broken Rebecca Perrigo with sensitivity before switching to a gloriously silly drunken policeman. While Old Nan doesn’t land with quite the impact the script seems to demand, O’Connor’s range remains impressive. Eman Sayed also shines, most memorably as the wide-eyed Winnie, and they blend puppetry with character work to endearing effect as they bring Bateman’s chicken, Hen, to life.

Campbell’s direction ensures a lively, engaging pace, even if a few scenes could benefit from a touch more tightening. The company’s pay-what-you-can ethos sits neatly alongside a show so deeply concerned with economic precarity, and the production’s resourcefulness only strengthens its message. The one notable drawback is the lighting design: bright backlights aimed directly at the audience occasionally make viewing uncomfortable, a difficult issue to resolve for a touring production in variable spaces.

Mutton is warm, witty and often very funny, but it never loses sight of the hardship pulsing beneath its humour. It’s a story of exploitation, survival and the human need to believe in something when life offers so little. With its mix of charm, irreverence and grit, this play proves both theatrically inventive and socially resonant.

A smart, spirited, mutton leg sized slice of Yorkshire storytelling.

Reviewed on 15th November 2025