Be My Baby at The Hull Truck Theatre Saturday 12th June By Cilla

I'm not a regular theatre goer. Not at all. It's like a different world to me. And frankly in the past I'd say that overall I felt disappointment and (perhaps imagined) exclusion from that scene. My sister could appreciate it, enjoy it even but I always thought of myself as not the type to go to the theatre. After all, we've got the telly.

So tonight I was stunned. I was shocked at my own reaction to a live theatre performance. I'm wondering now, at the age of 44 just how much I've been missing?

Be My Baby is a most glorious illustration of how stupid people can be in the face of a simple situation and of how ludicrous morality and cultural taboos can do unbelievable damage to our lives. Thank god times have changed. I was amazed by this performance and at the skill of the actors to move me to tears. After all, this was Spring Street. All but demolished and daylight outside. And it wasn't the pictures or the telly. It was real people, so apparently in tune with their characters that they made you want to run onto the stage and put all the wrongs right.

The story is about a real life situation. It's about the likes of you and me only a few years ago. I was born in the sixties. So many expressions and ludicrous rationale rang familiar bells in my memory. I found it chilling.

The play tells the story of four ordinary teenage girls living in the 60's - who found themselves pregnant. We are shown how they coped and formed friendships together while banished to a home for unmarried mothers (quite a sinful, and despicable thing to be back then) - to have their babies in secret and then be forced to give them up as soon as they were born.

While full of humour and some fabulous singing, there's such an undercurrent of tragedy and unfairness, I doubt many people left the theatre without a lump in their throat. I've never been so touched by a live performance. The characters were completely credible - each with their own story to tell. Norma, the victim of a married man, was astonishing. She played her role of pain and confusion and loss so brilliantly, tears were rolling uncontrollably down my face. I can feel them welling up now, when I think about it. The only consolation and comfort she was offered was to recite the Lords Prayer.

And throughout the play, all the big hits from the sixties are played - and when you listen to the words in the context of the play, you realise how hypocritical and sick the culture was. The swinging sixties? Times were changing - morality and reality seemed to hit each other head on and the victims are still around - all those women who lost their children and all those babies who never had the chance to know their real mum. The play was written by Amanda Whittington and directed by Gareth Tudor Price. I think they are brilliant. The use of the stage was remarkable too - 3 sets in one which were interchanged purely with the use of lighting. The bedroom became the laundry which also became the Matron's office.

Go and see this play if you can. It'll change your mind about the theatre if you're an old stick in the mud like I was. It's far better than the telly (and you can always go to the pub afterwards). Be My Baby is only showing for another week at Hull Truck so get on the phone and book a ticket.

Hull Truck Box Office (01482) 323638 Hull Truck Theatre Spring Street Hull HU2 8RW email: admin@hulltruck.co.uk Website www.hulltruck.co.uk

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