Rutherford and Son

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Description

No ones any right to be what father is - never questioned, never answered back...

First staged in 1912 and described as "the most powerful play produced in England in this decade," Githa Sowerby's Edwardian classic on family and labour enjoyed huge success in London and New York before disappearing from view.

In a Northern industrial town, John Rutherford rules both factory and family with an iron will. But even as the furnaces burn relentlessly at the Glassworks, at home his children begin to turn against him.

Sowerbys astonishing play was inspired by her own experience of growing up in a family-run factory in Gateshead. Writing in 1912, when female voices were seldom heard on British stages, she now claims her place alongside Ibsen and Bernard Shaw with this searing depiction of class, gender and generational warfare.

This new edition was published to coincide with the National Theatre's revival in May 2019.

Reviews

A remarkable play of unmistakable power * English Review, 1912 *
A playwright of uncommon promise * Times of London, 1912 *
Seldom does so gloomy a play receive, and deserve, so much success. * The Times of London, 1912 *

Author Bio

Githa Sowerby's 1912 play Rutherford and Son was an instant hit when it opened. The play addressed the Newcastle glass industry, capitalism and family politics. Interestingly, Sowerby's gender was concealed from audiences. Following the success of Rutherford and Sons however, she only produced a handful of plays, and it's her debut that remains her most famous.