The Widowing of Mrs Holroyd, Orange Tree Threatre

Marking Paul Miller’s directorial debut as Artistic Director of The Orange Tree Theatre, D H Lawrence’s The Widowing of Mrs Holroyd opens at the venue this September. 

Based on the short story Odour of Chrysanthemums, the play tells the story of Lizzie Holroyd, wife of a drunken and brutal miner in the early 1900s. When the possibility of escape emerges, Lizzie must decide what path she wishes her future to follow.

People often look to D H Lawrence for a degree of controversy – he was, after all, the author of the long-banned Lady Chatterley’s Lover - and with its exploration of themes such as abuse, lust, guilt and longing, The Widowing of Mrs Holroyd certainly fits the bill. The intimacy of the Orange Tree and its in-the-round layout , with audience seated all the way around the stage, is perfect for this close family drama. With designer Simon Daw once again collaborating with Miller, this promises to be a beautifully put together production of an often overlooked play.