 HER BENNY
Music, book and lyrics by Anne Dalton adapted from the story by Silas K. Hocking
First presented at Liverpool Empire Theatre
"The
Sights and Sound of Our City" - Essay
Her Benny - A Synopsis
Liverpool night-watchman, Joe Wragg and his wife Sally,
reminisce about Nell and Benny Bates, two street children forced to earn
a few coppers for their drunken parents by selling matches and carrying
bags.
The diversity and richness of Victorian life unfolds; urchin children
who live by their wits, street traders and the inhabitants of Addler's
Alley who are no better off than they ought to be. Life is a curious mixture
of hardship humour, violence, generosity, drunkenness and neglect.
One night, after a severe beating, Nell and her Benny decide to run away
from home and seek help from their friend, Joe Wragg. When he learns that
their remorseful father has drowned in the Mersey whilst searching the
waterfront for his children, Joe decides to take them to his house.
The children bring Sally and Joe closer together and for a while they
live like a happy family. The go on the ferry to Eastham and the children
enjoy their first real Christmas. Despite all the Wragg's love and care
however, Nell's poor health dete-riorates. One day Benny is devastated
to learn that Nell has collapsed and has been taken to the infirmary.
Her death, when it comes is a cruel blow to them all and intensi-fies
Joe's despair at the inevitable fate of the poor and helpless.
One stormy night on duty at his watchman's hut, Joe is visited by a heavenly
vision in ,which Nell and others who have gone before explain to him that
the poor and meek are blessed. Joe's faith and hope are restored, and
this is reflected in his attitude to his neighbours who are drawn to the
watch-man's fire for comfort advice and compan-ionship.
Benny, meanwhile has found it difficult to adjust to life without Nell,
but a chance meeting with Eva, the young daughter of a wealthy Liverpool
businessman changes his life. Eva takes pity on Benny and gives him a
silver shilling which he regards as a lucky talisman and resolves never
to spend. Later, at Eva's insistence, Mr. Lawrence employs Benny as an
office boy. The children's
friendship develops and all goes well until Benny is accused of stealing
a banknote. Mr. Lawrence decides not to press charges. On his release,
Benny, unable to clear his name effectively, is too ashamed to return
to his home and his friends and decides to leave Liverpool.
He wanders many miles and is found exhausted and near to death by a farming
couple. The Fishers restore Benny to health and employ him on their farm.
During the years that follow Benny grows into a strong, healthy and reliable
young man. He pursues his education at night school, but when the time
comes for him to decide his future he resolves to return to Liverpool
and seek employment there.
It is on one of his trips to Liverpool that he goes to the aid of a young
lady who is being viciously attacked by thieves. He escorts her home where
the injuries he sustained in her defence are attended to and the girl's
father expresses his gratitude. They compare reminiscences of Liverpool
during which it becomes clear that the girl's father is none other than
Mr. Lawrence and that the banknote that Benny was alleged to have stolen
had been found soon after Benny had left Liverpool and that Mr. Lawrence
and Eva had made frantic efforts to trace the boy.
Benny reveals his identity and shows Eva his 'lucky shilling'. Now that
his name is cleared, his future at Mr. Lawrence's firm is assured and
a romance is developing between himself and Eva. Benny goes in search
of his old friends and in the final scene he is joyfully re-united with
Joe and Sally Wragg. They, together with the people of Live pool, join
to reaffirm their belief in hope for the future. |
|