Archive: This review was first published on February 20, 2013 by the Daily Post
Alexander Cordell's Rape of the Fair Country is the first in a trilogy of books about the South Walian ironmaking family, the Mortymers.
The book has been adapted for the Clwyd Theatr Cymru stage by Manon Eames, who has created a production aimed squarely at those interested in social history and human drama.
When I attended the press night I was told Rape of the Fair Country was an historical epic, with the emphasis very much on the historical. Which is true. But to be honest, it's also important to underline the fact this play is epic, because the first act amounts to a bum-numbing 90 minutes, and after an all too brief 15-minute interval, act two ploughs on for a further hour and a quarter. This play is not for the fidgety or weak of bladder, so be warned!
