‘Pat & Ron Writers in Crime’ – is the story of when the writers Patricia Highsmith and Ronald Blythe met and formed an unlikely bond. Ronald Blythe was born and grew up in Suffolk and is probably best known as the author of Akenfield, the story of how farming changed in Suffolk between the wars. Patricia Highsmith was an American novelist who came to live and write in Suffolk in 1964, and had a series of successful books including Strangers on a Train and The Talented Mr Ripley.
I roughly knew all this before I went to see the play on opening night, and I’m glad I did, but it would have helped to know more about the backstory before seeing it. There is plenty of detail in the Programme, so my tip is to make sure you pick one up first. The Programme also contains the lyrics to the original songs in the show. This isn’t a musical, more a play with music which celebrates Suffolk, especially the coast and the call of the county to artists and writers.
Above: Virginia Betts as Patricia Highsmith Dennis Bowron as Ronald Blythe
Virginia Betts plays Pat with a strong American accent that doesn’t waver. I must mention that she is never off stage for the entire play but the energy and strength of her performance is always there. Again I didn’t know Pat Highsmith had a bad rap in the press over the years, and certainly she is a techy, selfish woman who puts nothing but her work first, but as the play emerges you see why she is the way she is. Some of Pat’s more humorous moments come with her scenes with the nosey neighbour Mrs Crabtree, played by the author of the play Suzanne Hawkes, a character that is pure Suffolk and unimpressed but fascinated by the eccentric ways of this American writer.
Suzanne has used Pat’s diaries to form the basis of the play – again it’s helpful to know this before watching – because some characters and conversations are imaginary and some are real. It becomes clear as time goes on. Steve Roche plays both Richard Ingham, a frustrated writing partner of Pat’s, and Roger Parr, a nasty jealous husband and Tasha Goldberg is Pat’s mother Mary Plangman, who never wanted her and still holds a disdain for her daughter in the conversations in Pat’s mind.
Above:Virginia Betts as Pat Highsmith and Thomas Haigh as Tom Ripley
Someone who also pops into Pat’s subconscious is Tom Ripley, the protagonist of 5 of her novels, played with languid charm by Thomas Haigh.
Ronnie Blythe played by Dennis Bowron is very real though. His relationship with Pat is what holds the play together and Dennis plays him as a shy, almost apologetic man who clearly values his time with Pat, even though they are worlds apart in so many attitudes to life, and love.
Punctuating the scenes is Jack the farmer’s lad, a good ole Suffolk boy played by Alan Dix (above) who reminds us of the changes in Suffolk on the land and in agriculture, something Ronald went on to famously write about. These monologues were very grounding against the atmosphere of real and imaginary characters and conversations, and a nice contrast to Pat’s highly charged artistic temperament. This is a story of love and friendship with a difference!
WRITING CRIME IN AKENFIELD . ESVH WEDNESDAY 16th OCTOBER 7.30pm
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