The Good Companions (play)

The Good Companions is a stage adaptation of J.B. Priestley's 1929 novel of the same name. The play follows the fortunes of a traveling concert party, "The Good Companions," as they journey through provincial England in the interwar period. The story centers on several key characters whose lives become intertwined: Jess Oakroyd, a Yorkshire carpenter who abruptly leaves his wife and home; Miss Elizabeth Trant, a middle-class spinster seeking adventure; and Inigo Jollifant, a young musician fleeing a dead-end teaching job.

The play typically depicts the hardships and joys of touring life, the camaraderie among the performers, and the challenges of keeping the show afloat financially. It also explores themes of social class, personal freedom, and the search for meaning and belonging.

Different adaptations of the novel have been produced for the stage over the years, with variations in the script and musical score. These stage versions often incorporate music and dance numbers to capture the lively atmosphere of the traveling troupe. Productions have ranged from large-scale musical theater presentations to smaller, more intimate dramatic adaptations.

The play, like the novel, is considered a nostalgic and affectionate portrayal of a bygone era in British entertainment. It is remembered for its warmth, humor, and its depiction of ordinary people finding connection and purpose through the shared experience of performance.