Axbridge News. Theatre Review: step back in time to a Yorkshire pub in this stylish production of JB Priestley’s I Have Been Here Before

I Have Been Here Before. Axbridge Town Hall

JB Priestley’s I Have Been Here Before is a very British pre-war play with its reversed charge phone calls, clipped accents and telephone numbers in single digits – and when a night in a B&B would set you back twelve and six (65p). One-part marital disintegration, one part period piece and one part déjà vu, it’s an intense psycho drama set in a Yorkshire Bed and Breakfast. The protagonist, eccentric German refugee Dr Gortler (Tony Wilson) can see into the futures of the guests at the Black Bull. The fiercely protective land lady Sally Pratt (Sian Tutill) suspects the good doctor’s motives – and after all he’s a foreigner as she points out. While Walter Ormund (Chris Jarman) is clearly suspicious of Oliver Farrant (Jude Wilson) a singleton headteacher on a walking holiday – setting the scene for this claustrophobic relationship drama.

Written in 1937 the play is one of JB Priestley’s ‘time plays’ – the others include the better known An Inspector Calls and Time and the Conways – previously staged by Axbridge Community Theatre. The late 1930s was a time of great uncertainty as Hitler’s Nazi German was spreading fear and doubt across Europe with the threat of a future war hanging in the air – an atmosphere that invisibly pervades Priestley’s narrative.

Staged in Axbridge Town Hall with a stylish set of a red carpet, white table and chairs, a side bureau complete with old fashioned black dial up telephone, the drama is professionally and brilliantly directed by John Bailey and features a stella cast. Central character Janet Ormund was given a sensitive and emotionally unhappy persona by the outstanding Liz Browne whose husband Walter had the feel of a stressed-out bank manager on the verge of a nervous breakdown portrayed by the excellent Chris Jarman as he downed a succession of whisky and sodas.

Workaholic Walter seemed oblivious to his wife’s unhappiness while Oliver Farrant (Jude Wilson) didn’t. Having seen the play previously I’m afraid I felt like cheering when Oliver and Janet finally clinch (sorry no spoilers) in one of the drama’s emotional highlights. Jude gave another strong performance as the holidaying teacher recovering from stress – in complete contrast as a football commentator in his last role in Vardy v Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial.

Pulling the strings to the unfolding drama was the mystic presence of Dr Gortler played by Tony Wilson who combined the attributes of an armchair psychiatrist with that of a former head teacher determined to get to the bottom of the sixth form’s misbehaviour – combined with a believable Teutonic accent. And the Yorkshire accents of the landlord Sam (Phil Sanders), and his daughter Sally played by Sian Tutill were also believable – as speaking in a different accent (and maintaining it) is one of the hardest things for an actor. I half expected the accents to slip as it is a long play – but as mentioned this is a professional standard production and we stayed anchored in Yorkshire throughout the evening while Tony Wilson remained east of the River Rhine.

Speaking of Sally, the landlady of the Black Bull – I was frankly scared of her – as Sian Tutill gave the character a fierce persona suspecting Dr Gortler was up to no good from the off. If only there were more Sally Pratts running our hospitality industry – there would be less bad behaviour – but fewer German professors as guests. She played the hard cop to Sam’s soft cop (a suitably rustic Phil Saunders) as the duo ensured we knew the pub was in Yorkshire with timely references to Yorkshire cricket and the Yorkshire Moors. JB Priestley was a Yorkshireman as you might imagine.

Another excellent ACT production enhanced by the set and theatre construction by Dave Moore and John Dunstone and their team of Steve Higgins, Paul Pritchard and Taddy Horacek. Pete and Benjy Homewood’s lighting, plus Ian Weir, John Bailey and Pete Homewood’s sound all helped to give a slick finish to the play.

It is no surprise that I Have Been Here Before is one of JB Priestley’s less performed plays as it doesn’t have the laughs of When We Are Married or the revelations of An Inspector Calls – but nevertheless is a gripping psycho drama set against a country in the shadow of a future war. Just like today.

Harry Mottram

The play runs nightly at 7.30pm in Axbridge Town Hall from Wednesday 24^th to Saturday 28^th March, 2026, and at the Alma Tavern and Theatre in Bristol from 31^st March to 1^st April at 8pm. Tickets still available.

See: Axbridge Tickets on sale online at: Axbridge Community Theatre event tickets from TicketSource (and in the Post Office or on the door)
Bristol tickets on sale at: Buy Tickets – I Have Been Here Before by J.B. Priestley – Alma Tavern and Theatre