The Fair Maid of the West, adapted in flamboyant style by Isobel McArthur (Pride and Prejudice* *Sort Of), is an Elizabethan play by Thomas Heywood. Heywood’s version was the RSC Swan Theatre’s inaugural performance on reopening in 1986. This latest version is a hilarious celebration of community, fairness and the Great British Pub.

It’s 1598 and Liz Bridges is a pub landlady - quick-thinking, stoic, and tactically diplomatic. She’s made the error of being born a woman so is entirely dispensable, vulnerable to irritating wooers, and an easy person to pin crimes on when the need arises. On the run from the law, she fends for herself as best she can: by opening a pub. A small collection of ‘regulars’ begin to appear, and The Open Arms becomes the heart of their community. 

The cast are multi-talented, with Amber James leading the pack as the titular ‘Maid’ - a gutsy, quick-thinking heroine. She often plays the ‘straight man’ to the absurdity surrounding her, and is bolstered by the ever-present Pub Regular (Richard Katz) who is the play’s Chorus. The whole company are modestly listed as ‘ensemble’ players, but it does feel like a shared endeavour, and each performer has moments of true brilliance, singing, playing multiple instruments, and being consistently very funny.

Director and adapter Isobel McArthur provides reassurance in the prologue that Thomas Heywood’s play has not been forgotten and also firmly shapes the story for modern tastes. The play is peppered with classic pop songs - there is a jukebox in the corner after all - and the company is raucous, irreverent, and joyful. The set and costume were designed by Ana Inés Jabares-Pita with one foot firmly planted in 1598, and the other kicking towards the present day. Strangely, the modern elements never look out of place - who knew an Elizabethan tunic would look so natural with a postman’s tabard, baseball cap and comfy trainers? 

The heart of the play is the humble pub - and the community which grows around it. The old wooden bar remains recognisable whether in Plymouth, Cornwall, or the foreign climes of Spain… It even creeps out into the audience. Those who book close to the stage might be seated on donated furniture from the theatre’s local: the Dirty Duck.

The Fair Maid of the West is a bright, uproarious jaunt, celebrating the strangeness of people and the value of community. As 2023 draws to a close, it’s the perfect way to say goodbye to the old year, and to raise a glass to the new.

Five stars

Reviewed by Jessica Clixby on Tuesday 12 December. The Fair Maid of the West continues to show at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, until Sunday 14 January.