On Top Of The Wold

As a born and bred Yorkshire lass, and having married into a farming family at Barmby Moor, in the East Riding nearly fifty years ago, I, along with a packed local audience, could totally relate to the world premiere of Top of the Wold at Pocklington Arts Centre, which explored fascinating stories from the East Riding.

Writer and lyricist Maeve Larkin (who was present at the premiere) had been given the challenge of knitting together the yarns of East Riding folk and discovered that "the mobile library, with its cargo of tales, was the perfect conduit for accessing the county’s places and people." Maeve met the challenge with aplomb, and she paid special tribute to the late Peggy Dunn (whose memoir Hard Graft‘, proved to be invaluable in Maeve’s extensive research) by making her one of the characters in the play.

Marianne McNamara, director of Top of the Wold, said in her pre-show address that the collaboration between East Riding Libraries and Mikron Theatre "felt like the perfect marriage", and having seen the play, I would agree; they went together like a horse and carriage.

The set, designed by Celia Perkins, was a swirling patchwork of glorious technicolour, representing the gently undulating Wolds, so beloved of artist David Hockney, and we all got on board the mobile library with the cast of four multi-talented actor/musicians: Georgina Liley, James McLean, Robert Took and Catherine Warnock. Their first musical number (all music composed by Robert Cooper and directed and arranged by Sonum Batra), Rolling Stock, set the scene wonderfully, with appreciative nods as local villages on the mobile library route got a mention.

We joined the library staff on the mobile library van, who became a little cynical of an earnest PhD student (wonderfully portrayed by Catherine Warnock) joining them unexpectedly on their mobile library rounds (great banter and gurning between James McLean and Georgina Liley, who became convinced that they were really being inspected).

In true Mikron style the cast then took us effortlessly back in time, and we learnt some fascinating facts about farming and the Sledmere Waggoners, as well as all the fun of the fair and old traditions. There was no doubt at all that Hard Graft was involved, particularly for the womenfolk whose work never seemed to end.

There were some delightful laugh-out-loud slapstick moments too, featuring veteran James McLean and a live crab named Michelle(!) and fellow veteran Rob Took, who nearly stole the show with his motorbike antics – sheer Mikron magic.

Tongue-in-cheek digs at the 'hoo-ha' after the abolishment of the East Riding in favour of Humberside, which was then subsequently abolished in 1996, followed by joy when the title of East Riding was reinstated; not surprisingly, it got a warm reception from this East Riding audience.

After the convivial collaboration connecting us to this county and experiencing nostalgic ditties about Caravan Dreams and lots of insights into the people and places of the East Riding, we all left the theatre on Top of the Wold, happy with the stories we’d just been told.

Julia Pattison wathced Top of the Wold at Pocklington Arts Centre. It is touring until October 2026 along with Wensleydale Whey