No one's any right to be what father is - never questioned, never answered back... First staged in 1912 and described as "the most powerful play produced in England in this decade," Githa Sowerby's Edwardian classic on family and labour enjoyed huge success in London and New York before disappearing from view. In a Northern industrial town, John Rutherford rules both factory and family with an iron will. But even as the furnaces burn relentlessly at the Glassworks, at home his children begin to turn against him. Sowerby's astonishing play was inspired by her own experience of growing up in a family-run factory in Gateshead. Writing in 1912, when female voices were seldom heard on British stages, she now claims her place alongside Ibsen and Bernard Shaw with this searing depiction of class, gender and generational warfare. This new edition was published to coincide with the National Theatre's revival in May 2019.
Githa Sowerby
Githa Sowerby was a pioneering British playwright known for her groundbreaking work "Rutherford and Son." Her sharp wit and insightful portrayal of social issues, particularly gender dynamics and class struggle, set her apart in early 20th-century literature. Sowerby's contributions to literature continue to inspire and challenge audiences today.