Set to songs by Bob Dylan, Girl from the North Country takes us into a boarding house in the Midwest of the USA in 1934 where a group of families and individuals have come together more by chance than design.

All are down on their luck - the Laines who run the house risk eviction from their home and business for defaulting on loans, the Burkes have already lost their business and are struggling to pay the rent, Mrs Neilsen is involved in a no-future relationship and waiting on money she has been promised and two strangers who appear one night may not be what they seem.

The musical is more of a patchwork of these stories that glance off each other than a strongly linked single narrative, creating a kaleidoscope of microcosmic tragedies. It has to be said the story is bleak and there is little let-up in the downtrodden lives of the characters. The era sits the tale firmly in the heart of the American Depression and the experiences of these different individuals accumulated is certainly depressing. To coin The Bard, their sorrows come ‘in battalions’.

There is humour in the one-off line or the moment but it is brittle, reminding us all the more of the desperation of these lives.

Orchestrated by Simon Hale, Dylan’s songs are arranged and performed beautifully by the highly talented cast with even familiar tracks such as Hurricane, Idiot Wind, Like a Rolling Stone and Jokerman taking on a new reflection. They are used more to create an ambience and energy than to take the story forwards with the result that sometimes individual songs can feel incongruous to the plot.

All of the cast are thoroughly convincing as their characters while also being accomplished singers and musicians. There is no doubt we are watching a stage full of talent in this show. The women are particularly strong. Frances McNamee plays Elizabeth Laine whose fragile mental state sees her veering from stubbornly refusing to communicate to throwing out some home truths at awkward moments. McNamee perfectly balances the piercing sorrow of the part with the caustic humour of her sudden pronouncements and gives real fire to some of Dylan’s songs.

Justina Kehinde is her adopted daughter Marianne who is pregnant and refusing to name or involve any father. With the family on its knees, Marianne is offered the option of marriage to a richer but elderly shopkeeper but she remains proudly independent, determined to make her own choices in life.

Maria Omakinwa gives a wonderful portrayal as the apparent peacemaker Mrs Neilsen and leads the cast in a number of sensitively presented Dylan lyrics. Written and directed by Conor McPherson, there is a literary sense to Girl from the North County which reminds us of the great Depression novels of John Steinbeck and the family dramas of Arthur Miller. Much of the dialogue and the story is understated – so that what may appear on the surface a slightly low key domestic drama is in reality a brutal tale of hardship and endurance. And yet within this steely facade, McPherson also adds a couple of tiny glimmers of a brighter future for some of the characters.

Rae Smith’s set and costume designs place us very firmly in the 1930s with some nice touches including images of the landscape closing in from the background, reminding us that while we are watching one small group of characters, their tale could be replicated across America at this time. Girl from the North Country is not cheerful viewing but it shows us human nature at its most resilient and reminds us that even when life is difficult love and loyalty can provide some consolation.

Four stars

Reviewed by Diane Parkes. 

Girl from the North Country shows at The Alexandra, Birmingham until Saturday 11 February