For more than 30 years Jabez Wolffe’s achievements as a swimmer and trainer were celebrated across the world but following his death in 1943 he was soon forgotten. Now, in this age of wild swimming, it is time to elevate Jabez to his rightful place in the sporting hall fame.
Written and performed by Wolffe’s 3rd cousin once removed (work that out) this show is part (auto)biography and wholly a celebration of a peculiarly British type of sporting hero.
Rendered into English my motto is ‘Yield not to misfortune,’ and, of course, I endeavour to act upon its teaching. Jabez Wolffe
In 1985 Giles Croft was appointed as artistic director of the Gate Theatre, London. In 1989 Giles joined the National Theatre as Literary Manager before becoming Artistic Director of the Palace Theatre, Watford in May 1995. He was the artistic director of Nottingham Playhouse from August 1999 to November 2017. Giles has directed more than 60 productions including at Nottingham Playhouse The Kite Runner, Any Means Necessary, Tony’s Last Tape, Arcadia, The Glass Menagerie, The Cherry Orchard. He is also a playwright and his work has been produced widely in the UK and Europe. Channeling Jabez was first performed in Glasgow and Edinburgh in April 2017
She has directed plays at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Pitlochry Festival Theatre, MacRobert Arts Centre, Stirling, Dundee Rep, Perth Theatre, the Tron Theatre, Glasgow, and Eden Court Theatre, Inverness, as well as middle and small-scale touring venues all over Scotland and England.
“Quirky charm ”
“Cleverly staged and strangely attractive”
“A labour of familial love ”
“Sincere and loving tribute to a man of remarkable tenacity”