A play about the life of Dales farmer Hannah Hauxwell is going on tour

Two women inspired by the life of 'daughter of the Dales' Hannah Hauxwell have performed a play about her at the Edinburgh Fringe 2019.
Hannah Hauxwell on her Baldersdale farm in the 1970sHannah Hauxwell on her Baldersdale farm in the 1970s
Hannah Hauxwell on her Baldersdale farm in the 1970s

Shelagh McKay and Karen McDonnell wrote the spoken word production 'Hannah Hauxwell: No Through Road', which also featured several songs, and it ran this August as part of the Free Fringe during the month-long arts festival in the Scottish capital.

The play was so well-received by audiences that Shelagh and Karen now hope to take it on tour and are looking for performance venues in Yorkshire.

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Hannah Hauxwell: Exploring the legacy of the 'daughter of the Dales' since her deathThe pair sought permission from the executors of Hannah's estate before pitching for a Free Fringe slot.

No Through Road was inspired by the 1970s Yorkshire Television documentaries which profiled Pennine farmer Hannah's tough life in the hills of Baldersdale. She lived alone on her remote smallholding until 1988, when she moved to a retirement cottage in the nearby village of Cotherstone. She died in 2018 at the age of 91 and there was an outpouring of grief from her fans all over the world.

"We had a great response from the audience on each occasion. Many people were new to Hannah's story, but many others recalled the story of her battle against the elements in the remote Yorkshire Dales as she fought to survive and acted custodian of the land at Low Birk Hatt Farm," said Shelagh.

Hannah Hauxwell's personal letters and other possessions to go on display in new exhibitionThe production will remain in Scotland for its first post-Fringe showing at The Barn on the Loch in Kinghorn, Fife, on Saturday October 5. Tickets are £5.

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Edinburgh Fringe critics were impressed with the hour-long play, which features songs from Hannah's life such as 'Ain't She Sweet' and 'It's A Sin To Tell A Lie' and includes clips from the original documentaries, Too Long A Winter and A Winter Too Many.

One reviewer called it a 'beautifully sensitive piece chronicling the life of a remarkable woman ' and another said 'the singing and poetry is beautifully matched to the visuals and it is an oasis of calm in the madness of the festival'.

Hannah Hauxwell's retirement cottage up for saleThe touring version of the show will be extended to 120 minutes and includes a workshop in which the audience can chat about Hannah's life and how times have changed.