HABEAS CORPUS
By Alan Bennett
Jonathan Litchfield as Arthur and Maggie Holland as Muriel | Photo: Mia Ballard
TUE 17 - SAT 21 FEBRUARY 2026, 7.30PM
Christchurch Hall, 3 Christchurch Road, Northampton NN1 5LL
HABEAS CORPUS
By Alan Bennett
Jonathan Litchfield as Arthur and Maggie Holland as Muriel | Photo: Mia Ballard
TUE 17 - SAT 21 FEBRUARY 2026, 7.30PM
Christchurch Hall, 3 Christchurch Road, Northampton NN1 5LL
A riotous romp through the chaos of the human body — and the even messier human heart.
CAST
Arthur Wicksteed Jonathan Litchfield
Muriel Wicksteed Maggie Holland
Dennis Wicksteed Brady Jolley
Constance Wicksteed Nikki Bunting
Mrs Swabb Liz Allan
Canon Throbbing Martin Williams
Lady Rumpers Jan Stoppani
Felicity Rumpers Richenda Morrison
Denzil Shanks Mark Coady
Sir Percy Shorter Phil Purkis
Mr Purdue Josh McCallum
PRODUCTION TEAM
Director Clare Brittain
Stage Manager Toni Green
Continuity Ingrid Heymann
Wardrobe Pam Mann
Sound and Lighting Ian Allan, Robert Vaughan
Front of House Masque Theatre members
MASQUE THEATRE
Chair Rob Kendall | Secretary Jan Stoppani | Treasurer Craig Macpherson | Productions Coordinator Graham Breeze | Publicity Meryl Couper | Box Office Manager Elizabeth Allen | Hospitality Manager Maggie Holland | Newsletter Robert Vaughan | Website & IT Martin Borley-Cox | Social Secretary Clare Brittain
Photos by Mia Ballard and Clare Brittain
Other plays by Alan Bennett
Of its time but enjoyable
Philip Welsh
Habeas Corpus by Alan Bennett was his third play, opening in May 1973 at the Lyric Theatre in the West End, with Alec Guinness in the lead roll of Arthur Wicksteed. It ran for 15 months, but was short lived on Broadway, closing after just 85 performances.
Habeas Corpus translates as ‘you may have the body…’ and body sizes, attributes and their owner’s indiscretions form the basis of this ‘piece’.
Trying to find a label for this play is pointless. At times farce, at times Theatre of the Absurd, sometimes pure seaside postcard humour, and occasionally disconcertingly naturalistic. Michael Billington called it ‘deliciously vulgar!’ It has been repeatedly revived over the past 50 years, but a phrase I heard many times in post-performance conversations was that it was ‘of its time.’
Attracting very good audiences all week at Masque’s first outing to Christchurch, there was some evidence that confusion existed as to how to react to content that was undoubtedly politically INcorrect. Some nights found audiences roaring with laughter and other nights keeping almost silent throughout. Even so, curtain calls were all greeted enthusiastically every night.
Strong mix
Casting is something Masque has come to excel at. Here was an effective and strong mix of experienced and relatively new performers.
We don’t see enough of Johnathan Lichfield, who took the lead role as the doctor. Not only fully in control of Bennett’s difficult mix of prose and poetry, but also expert in the use of expressive movement. It is a real skill to be heard in the back row of a large auditorium, even when whispering!
Maggie Holland threw herself into playing his wife. Visually a perfect Donald McGill character (renowned for his cartoon sketches featuring buxom women, hen-pecked husbands, and double entendres); she managed to persuade us that her near nymphomania was genuine, whilst also delivering some of play’s more philosophical observations.
Brady Jolly is relatively new to Masque, having previously performed in two plays at Holy Sepulchre. Dennis was a very different character - part innocent, part hypochondriac and part post puberty obsessive.It is good to see how his acting ability is developing.
Nikki Bunting’s role expanded (literally) as the play progressed. Needing to perform almost as two contrasting characters, she provided the basis for some of the irresistible spontaneous laughs and was obviously enjoying being on stage, which is always key to making comedy work.
Liz Allan knows what she is doing. Effectively the narrator for the action, she also provided the commentary, playing the part of Mrs Swabb. Great timing and expressive delivery showed her depth of experience on the stage.
Martin Williams, managed to generate some sympathy for the unambiguously named Canon Throbbing, despite the character's highly inappropriate tendencies. Perfect casting and a quality performance.
Really great to see Jan Stoppani in a substantial role. The characters of Lady Rumpers and her daughter Felicity show some echoes of The Importance of Being Earnest, but without the Victorian limitations. Jan has impressive stage presence and, although one or two of Lady Rumpers' speeches are a bit long and could easily lose the audience’s attention, this was never going to happen in her hands.
I was impressed by Richenda Jameson when working with her on The Old Curiosity Shop. Her ability to bring a character to life was evident then, and repeated here, albeit in the very different role of Felicity Rumpers. I thought the part was somewhat underwritten, with opportunities to amuse the audience a bit limited, but nonetheless an excellent performance. I hope we see more of her. (That is not a double entendre!)
Mark Coady played the hapless ‘appliance salesman’ with a delicious Birmingham lilt. It needs a certain dedication to spend a substantial amount of time on stage in your underwear (a requirement of three others in this show) but Mark handled the repeated mistaken identity scenes well.
Inhabiting a character
Sir Percy Shorter is the butt of many jokes. Some were lost because his actual height didn’t quite match that of the part he was playing, but that didn’t really matter. I have seen Phil Purkis on stage many times and admired his ability to ‘inhabit’ a character. Great delivery and I am very pleased to see him back with Masque (don’t bring a syringe with you next time!)
The minor but essential role of Purdue was played very effectively by Josh McCallum. Lighting changes and sound cues were well timed, but Christchurch has a little way to go to achieve a rig that delivers high quality. The pre-show announcements were too quiet to hear; the telephones were too loud; and the lighting leaves too many areas of the stage under lit. I appreciate that this is partly due to equipment being stolen, but more time needs to be devoted to getting tech right.
Listed as ‘The Creative Team’ in the programme, Toni, Ingrid, Pam, Ian and Robert obviously played a major part in making this a good night out.
Clare Brittain had made a difficult script work on stage, partly through effective casting and partly through an understanding of how farce, slapstick, and keeping entrances and exits crisp need to work. I know she was disappointed by the audience response on some nights, but there was no need. Habeas Corpus is dated now and some viewed it as such and others just as a good laugh. I think both groups enjoyed it.
This production is directed by Clare Brittain. Clare has also directed The Winter’s Tale (2024), Our Country's Good (2023), The Taming of the Shrew (2021), The Dresser (2019), Amadeus (2015) and The Madness of King George III (2007).
A theatrical romp
Clare Brittain, director
A riotous comedy of lust, lies, and lechery, Habeas Corpus is a fast-paced farce set in 1960s Brighton.
When a doctor’s dull life is upended by a cast of eccentric character, chaos ensues.
Expect mistaken identities, dropped trousers, and sharp wit in this amusing satire of middle-class morals and human desire. A hilarious theatrical romp not to be missed!
