Hansard in conversation: director’s Q&A with Jerry Radburn

The 2026/27 season at Wokingham Theatre kicks off with Hansard, a modern piece of writing from Simon Woods (who many people will originally have known as Mr Bingley in the 2005 film version of Pride and Prejudice).

The play runs at 90 minutes, without an interval, and for its cast of just two actors, there really is nowhere to hide; something director Jerry Radburn tells us we do not need to worry about, as we are in safe hands with this pair of actors. We’ve sat down with Jerry to hear exactly what is in store for the first play of our new season.

Without giving too much away, what is Hansard about?

Ultimately, it’s about a long-term marriage, where secrets have been held for a long time. It’s set in 1989, at the time where Margaret Thatcher’s Conservative government has just introduced Clause 28. Robin, the husband, is a minister in her government. And Diana, his wife, is very much more of a liberal. 

The play is set on one Saturday morning on a May bank holiday weekend, in their Cotswold cottage. Robin has just returned home, having appeared the previous evening on Radio 4’s political programme, Any Questions. He was there as the spokesman for the government, supporting Clause 28, much to the horror of his wife, who is now confronting him upon his return. The fallout from his appearance on that programme, constitutes the drive and narrative of the play. So it’s about the impact of this political act on the relationship of this one couple.

For those who don’t know, what is Clause 28?

It was a law introduced by the government in 1988. It banned local authorities and state schools from “promoting homosexuality” or teaching the acceptability of homosexuality as a “pretended family relationship”. So local councils and schools were not allowed to promote homosexuality in any way shape or form, with literature removed from libraries that promoted anything to do with (or deemed to be associated with) homosexuality.  It was only repealed in England in 2003. 

You were a teacher at the time this was introduced, do you remember it?

Oh, so clearly. It was horrible. And it just led to this kind of terror, with teachers terrified they could be prosecuted, just for trying to support children with questions around their sexuality.

Unfortunately, it also coincided with the HIV / AIDs epidemic, which was at its peak around 1988, and was known as the gay plague. There was so much terror and fear, with the gay community being scapegoated by the red top British newspapers. There was so much anti-gay feeling, so compounding it with this Clause 28, it just had such a significant effect on social attitudes. The hysteria and the injustice was just appalling.

And we’re still feeling the repercussions of it today. Young people who were very firmly pushed back into the closet and repressed 40 years ago, all because of the Conservative’s concepts at the time of what a family should be, with a husband, a wife and children.

Why do you think this play is still relevant to a modern audience?

Because it’s not a battle that has been won, at all. We’ve come a very long way with gay rights, but we can’t take these liberties for granted. And in many ways, current arguments about the rights of trans people, it’s still all part of the same discussion around the freedom of an individual and their identity.

So in Hansard, we have this very ordinary, domestic setting, which is the canvas for this huge discussion. It’s an absolutely brilliant play.

How do you want audiences to feel watching the play?

Ultimately, I hope they feel moved, because it is very moving. But also to have engaged with both sides of the argument. Because that’s the brilliance of the script, they both make very valid arguments, it’s not just a one-sided thing. You see the debate and you see reasoning on both sides. So it’s that reminder of the real-life impact that these laws have, passed by government, who think they know best.

It’s not all doom and gloom either, there’s some real moments of humour, because that’s inevitable with this long-standing couple who know each other’s humour; they banter, they exchange witty asides, they spar. So I hope audiences find it entertaining and engaging.

How have rehearsals been?

Absolutely wonderful. The discipline and talent of this cast is incredible; they were practically off book before we’d even started rehearsing!  They have so much trust in each other, which you need to have with a cast this size, because there is no room to hide. I’ve just looked forward to rehearsals so much, seeing their discipline, their dedication, and the insight they’ve shown in responding to the characters. It’s just been so pleasurable.

What can audiences expect in terms of the production?

Well it all unfurls in real time, over 90 minutes, on one Saturday morning. There’s no interval, there’s no set changes, we just get to enjoy the dialogue and the performance. So we just have this beautifully-constructed set from our set build team – who have done a wonderful job in creating this unloved Cotsworld country house – and these two actors on stage enjoying it. 

Finally, if you could describe the play in three words, what would they be?

Amusing. Moving. Stimulating. 

Hansard opens at Wokingham Theatre on Thursday 10 September. Tickets are still available, costing £17, and can be purchased here.