To Have and To Hold – Hull Truck Theatre

Writer: Richard Bean

Director: Terry Johnson

Like many of Richard Bean’s plays To Have and to Hold had its first outing at London’s Hampstead Theatre. Currently playing at Hull Truck, this is, as one would expect, a sharp, funny, and unexpectedly moving portrait of family dysfunction in its most British form. Known for his razor-edged wit and working-class characters, Bean once again returns to his East Yorkshire roots with a piece that blends observational humour with real emotional weight.

Set in a modest home in the Yorkshire Village of Wetwang, the play revolves around the clashing personalities and unresolved grievances of a typical humdrum family. We meet Jack and Florence, a pair of aging parents grappling with their physical decline and the bewildering pace of modern life, as their adult children take a break from their busy schedules to pay a visit.

The script is peppered with some excellent one-liners and pointed commentary, particularly on aging, parenthood, and the awkward dance of adult children returning to the parental home. It’s no surprise that Bean has a gift for ear-perfect dialogue; the conversations feel both authentic and slightly exaggerated for comic effect, a balance that works beautifully.

What lifts this production beyond standard family comedy fare is the unflinching honesty with which Bean portrays the vulnerabilities of his characters. There’s a moment in the second act – no spoilers here – that takes the audience from laughter to silence in seconds, handled with subtlety and without melodrama. It’s this shift in tone that gives the play its heart.

The cast deliver uniformly strong performances. Ian Bartholomew, as the perfectly convincing Jack, Adrian Hood clumsily delivering deft comedic timing and Rebecca Johnson as the headstrong Tina. Paula Wilcox as Florence is especially compelling, veering between steely pragmatism and confusion in a way that feels heartbreakingly true. Stephen Tompkinson brings humour and pathos to the role of their son Rob, a man clearly caught between resentment and responsibility. The chemistry between the actors convincingly sells the idea of long-held grudges and decades of shared history, even when the dialogue occasionally strays into the overly expositional.

Visually, the production is simple but effective. Dawn Allsopp’s set design – all peeling wallpaper and familiar chintzyclutter – feels like stepping into a real house that hasn’t been updated since the early ’90s. It serves as a quiet metaphor for the characters’ resistance to change. Direction by Terry Johnson keeps the pace taut, allowing the comedic moments to breathe without losing the undercurrent of unease, even if the play is a tad overlong.

To Have and To Hold is an enjoyable and meaningful evening at the theatre. It’s a play that makes you laugh out loud, squirm in recognition, and – if you’re from a similar background – perhaps even wipe away a tear or two. As one of the nation’s sharpest playwrights, it’s clear that the audience appreciate seeing stories that reflect their own lives and, this production handles the work with both humour and care. Set to a soundtrack of some of Jim Reeves’ oldest classic songs, this nostalgic and profoundly poignant play is a must-see in this season at Hull Truck Theatre.

Runs until 24th May 2025