Independent Means
Encyclopedia
Independent Means is a stage play written by Stanley Houghton, a leading member of the Manchester School
of dramatists.
The play was Houghton's first professional full length play which was written in 1908. Its first title was The Unemployed, but this was changed to avoid confusion with a one-act play with a similar title. It was chosen by Annie Horniman
to open the second season at the Gaiety Theatre, Manchester
, on 30 August 1909. It was an immediate success and was chosen to open the next two seasons, and it was published in 1911. It was broadcast by Granada Television
in 1960. Otherwise the play remained unknown until it was discovered in the British Library
by Chris Homer, artistic director of the Library Theatre, Manchester
. It was decided to produce the play at the Library Theatre in 2008 to celebrate the centenary of the Gaiety Theatre.
Three months later, despite Edgar’s desperate attempts to speculate, the house and its contents are up for sale. Jane appears, dressed in her finery. Edgar returns from the pub, drunk and argues with everyone. Ritchie calls in, says he has bought the house and offers Sidney a job as a shorthand typist, which she accepts. When John hears of this he forbids her to do take up the job, but Sidney insists and she and John separate. Meanwhile Edgar has collapsed and died. A further three months pass, Sidney is working for Ritchie and living in Jane’s house. John and his mother are in lodgings. John has been trying for months to get a job, without success. He goes to Ritchie, who gives him a job as a car salesman; then discovers that Sidney is also working there and is furious. Jane appears to buy a car. Sidney announces that she is pregnant; she and John are reconciled to return to live together and to both work for Ritchie.
Manchester School (writers)
The "Manchester School" is a term applied to a number of playwrights from Manchester, England, who were active in the early 20th century. The leading figures in the group were Harold Brighouse, Stanley Houghton and Allan Monkhouse. They were championed by Annie Horniman, owner of the Gaiety...
of dramatists.
The play was Houghton's first professional full length play which was written in 1908. Its first title was The Unemployed, but this was changed to avoid confusion with a one-act play with a similar title. It was chosen by Annie Horniman
Annie Horniman
Annie Elizabeth Fredericka Horniman CH was an English theatre patron and manager. She established the Abbey Theatre in Dublin and founded the first regional repertory theatre company in Britain at the Gaiety Theatre in Manchester. She encouraged the work of new writers and playwrights, including...
to open the second season at the Gaiety Theatre, Manchester
Gaiety Theatre, Manchester
The Gaiety Theatre, Manchester was a theatre in Manchester, England. It was opened in 1884 and demolished in 1959. It replaced a previous Gaiety Theatre on the site which had been destroyed by fire....
, on 30 August 1909. It was an immediate success and was chosen to open the next two seasons, and it was published in 1911. It was broadcast by Granada Television
Granada Television
Granada Television is the ITV contractor for North West England. Based in Manchester since its inception, it is the only surviving original ITA franchisee from 1954 and is ITV's most successful....
in 1960. Otherwise the play remained unknown until it was discovered in the British Library
British Library
The British Library is the national library of the United Kingdom, and is the world's largest library in terms of total number of items. The library is a major research library, holding over 150 million items from every country in the world, in virtually all known languages and in many formats,...
by Chris Homer, artistic director of the Library Theatre, Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. It was decided to produce the play at the Library Theatre in 2008 to celebrate the centenary of the Gaiety Theatre.
Plot
The play is set in the fictional town of Salchester (an amalgam of Salford and Manchester) in the 1900s. John and Sidney Forsyth have returned early from their honeymoon to John’s home where his parents, Edgar and Mrs Forsyth are surprised to see them. Jane the maid prepares a room for them, and Samuel Ritchie, a family friend and owner of a business retailing cars, visits for dinner. Edgar is a rich man, living on his investments and spending much time with friends in the club. One of his major investments has not been doing well recently but the other has been making up for it. John has been to university but has no specials skills, other than messing about with motor cars, and expects to become an MP. His courtship with Sidney had been only for three months and during that time he had not discovered that her political opinions were very different from his; he is a Conservative; she is a left-wing suffragette. They argue, and she is determined to have a life of her own, despite John’s powerful objections. A year later, Edgar’s other investment has failed and he is a ruined man. Ritchie offers to help, but is rebuffed and vows never to enter the house again. Jane announces that she has been left a bequest of £20,000 from an uncle in Australia, and leaves her job.Three months later, despite Edgar’s desperate attempts to speculate, the house and its contents are up for sale. Jane appears, dressed in her finery. Edgar returns from the pub, drunk and argues with everyone. Ritchie calls in, says he has bought the house and offers Sidney a job as a shorthand typist, which she accepts. When John hears of this he forbids her to do take up the job, but Sidney insists and she and John separate. Meanwhile Edgar has collapsed and died. A further three months pass, Sidney is working for Ritchie and living in Jane’s house. John and his mother are in lodgings. John has been trying for months to get a job, without success. He goes to Ritchie, who gives him a job as a car salesman; then discovers that Sidney is also working there and is furious. Jane appears to buy a car. Sidney announces that she is pregnant; she and John are reconciled to return to live together and to both work for Ritchie.