Bill Naughton’s comic masterpiece plays homage to the great period of Lancashire comedies of the Manchester School (Hobson’s Choice and Hindle Wakes) and is one of the great Northern comedy-dramas, beautifully depicting changes in attitudes and society in the late 1960s. Set across a single weekend in a terraced home in Bolton, Spring And Port Wine tracks the lives of the Crompton family.

Rafe Crompton rules his wife, Daisy, and their four children with a rod of iron. Yet the tide is turning: Florence has found love with a local sheet metal worker; Hilda wants to stay out late like the other girls; while Wilf and Harold have their hearts set on a place of their own away from Rafe’s strict regime. It’s Hilda who finally tires of their overbearing father when she refuses to eat the herring served to her at dinner. How could such a small rebellion cause events to snowball so far out of control? As Rafe continues to serve the uneaten fish at every subsequent mealtime, several home truths are revealed and his place as patriarch of the family is challenged. But as the family looks to be coming apart at the seams, the Cromptons learn that despite being from two different generations, nothing is more important than family love.

Naughton calls on his experience of growing up in Bolton to create a cast of vividly drawn and highly-recognisable characters. He adapted his play into an award-winning film in 1969 starring the iconic James Mason, much of which was filmed around the streets of Bolton.

Bill Naughton’s Annie And Fanny: From Bolton To Rome was the first play ever performed at the Octagon Theatre. His catalogue of plays including The Family Way, Derby Day and the legendary Alfie, is some of the most popular work ever performed on the Octagon stage. Spring And Port Wine is among Naughton’s most accomplished and celebrated play, is the perfect way to celebrate 40 years of repertory theatre in Bolton. He died in 1992 and the Octagon celebrated his outstanding contribution to theatre by naming its studio theatre in his honour.

Bill’s wife, Erna Naughton, is an Honorary Patron of the Octagon’s 40th Anniversary Season.

Please be advised there will be smoking on stage during the production.

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