Director’s Note
Cornish playwright Nick Darke started work on his adaptation for Laurie Lee’s memoir Cider with Rosie in the late 1970s. Early versions were produced at Peter Cheeseman’s Victoria Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent and then at the Contact Theatre in Manchester in around 1981. That was followed by numerous productions and many theatres. His play was eventually published in 1993. There was then a radio version by the BBC Radio Drama Company.
Falmouth University holds Nick Darke’s archive. With the permission of Nick’s partner Jane Darke, the script for this production draws on several of the versions held in the collection. We have also, we hope in the spirit of Nick, made some adjustments of our own as our response to the story in 2026. I like to think they are the kind of changes Nick would have made if he was here today.
Technical Team
Costume Designer: Daisy Smith
Lighting Designer: Roo Chance
Stage Manager: Esther Lam
Assistant Director: Amelie Bock
Fight Director: Keith Wallis
Intimacy Director: Rose Ryan
Singing Support: Daisy Dewey
Setting for Down by the Salley
Gardens: Richard Healey
Special Thanks To…
Jane Darke
Nicola Carveth
James Randall
Mark Selby
Kieth Jones
Paul Joines
Ryan Hollywood