Jenny Hall on putting Akenfield on stage

Fifty years after Sir Peter Hall turned Ronald Blythe’s best-known work Akenfield into a film, his daughter Jenny Hall will be directing the landmark work on rural Suffolk as a stage production, adapted by Glenn Wilhide (producer of The Royle Family and The Camomile Lawn). Akenfield: Portrait of an English Village, was published as a fictionalised account of agriculture in Suffolk over 80 years, inspired by the conversations of three generations of Blythe’s neighbours. It was regarded as a classic of its type and one of the most influential depictions of rural life, and became Blythe’s best-known work, for which he was appointed a CBE for services to literature. We spoke to director Jenny Hall about the show.

With your father’s 1974 film in mind, how did you strike a balance between honouring his legacy and creating your own vision for the stage?

I feel that I am honouring my father - and all my Suffolk family - in producing and directing Akenfield for the stage. But I really didn’t want to create a museum piece, or a rehash. My father never approved of rehashes either, by the way. Each new medium has different strengths, and we now have this fantastic opportunity to use all our creative powers to reinterpret Akenfield as a new play, and for a new age, fifty years on.  The film is different from the book in so many ways - and yet it is an authentic and faithful adaptation. So I took my courage and my cue from that. So yes, we honour the legacy best by trying to make something new which stands on its own merit. If people like this beautiful new play that Glenn Wilhide has written, I like to think they might revive it with new casts and new productions, for years to come. 

The book captures the voices of Suffolk villagers. How did working with a local cast help preserve that authenticity?

The Suffolk accent is incredibly beautiful and a fast disappearing thing. It’s also tremendously difficult for outsiders to reproduce. My grandparents spoke with strong Suffolk accents. It’s a sound that takes you right back to a very particular local experience, which Ronnie captured in his book. I feel very lucky to have found a highly talented cast of local people, with local voices, who are as passionate about the project as I am. One of our cast is playing a farm worker from Lancashire - and he’s the only one not born and bred in Suffolk. 

With the story spanning decades of change, which themes feel most relevant for audiences in 2025?

The most violent change that Ronnie was capturing in his book in 1969, was a technological one, as teams of men and horses vanished from the land and were replaced by a tractor and its driver. There are obvious comparisons with the technological changes we’re going through now, particularly with AI. But, to my mind, the theme that runs throughout the book that is shockingly relevant now if you think about it, is the exploitation of labour, and all the damage that wreaks. 

This adaptation features Blythe himself reflecting on the stories of the past - what is your favourite story or memory has been brought to the surface working on this project?

There are so many good scenes. I love the way scenes of appalling hardship are counterpointed with very funny exchanges between characters, and the beauty of Finn Collinson's music and the company singing. We also have a breathtakingly beautiful set by Laurence Edwards and marvellous costumes by Constance Mackenzie and I think the experience of all those elements bringing Glenn Wilhide’s stunning new play to life, is absolutely dreamy. 

Why was it important for this production to visit various venues across Suffolk rather than present it in one venue?

I want people who might not be particularly mobile to have easy access to this production. Audiences don’t necessarily travel very far in Suffolk. I want everyone to feel this play is theirs to share. We would have toured further if we could, and perhaps one day we will. 

You’ve said Akenfield feels “all too relevant now.” What do you hope today’s audiences will take from it?

I have a feeling we are all bracing ourselves for strange and difficult times ahead. I hope we will all take courage from the resilience of our ancestors, and remember to spare a thought for the ordinary folk on the bottom rung of the ladder, as Ronnie Blythe so memorably did. 

Akenfield will be presented at Suffolk venues from 24 Sept – 11 Oct. More information can be found on www.shakefestival.com and tickets for most venues here www.ticketsource.co.uk/shake/akenfield-adapted-for-the-stage-by-glenn-wilhide/e-ajdyvk