British drama on stage at NWC

“The Winslow Boy,” a British drama by Terence Rattigan, will be presented by Northwestern College theatre April 19, 20 and 24–27. The curtain will rise at 7:30 each evening in the England Theatre of the DeWitt Theatre Arts Center.

Northwestern theatre professor Jeff Taylor is directing the play, set in pre-World War I London. Ronnie Winslow, 12, has been accused of petty theft and summarily expelled from the Royal Naval Academy. The lack of due process afforded him prompts his family to retain a prominent barrister to sue the crown.

An effective advocate, the barrister is also an active opponent to women’s suffrage—an affront to Ronnie’s sister, Kate, a dedicated suffragette. Their joint advocacy for Ronnie leads to verbal sparring and sparks between them that have the potential to ignite either fury or passion.

Taylor compares Rattigan’s “well-made play” to dramas by Chekov or Ibsen: “The script is loaded with subtext, and the characters are many layered,” he says, adding that the characters’ British decorum is often not enough to mask their comical faults and foibles.

The cast includes three actors recently nominated for Irene Ryan Acting Scholarships: Abigail Bierly, Hull; Tiemen Godwaldt, Mishawaka, Ind.; and Jana Latchaw, Oskaloosa, Iowa. Other actors from the region include Kendra Kleinwolterink, Sibley; Kaleigh Schildhouse, Sioux Center; and Jordan Starkenburg, Hartley.

Tickets for “The Winslow Boy” are $7 for adults and $4 for students. The DeWitt Theatre box office opens April 8 for Theatre Patrons; it is open April 9–27 for the general public.

Tickets can be reserved by visiting the box office between 4 and 9 p.m. Monday through Friday or between noon and 5 p.m. on Saturday. The box office can also be reached by phone, 712-707-7098, or e-mail, boxoffice@nwciowa.edu.