Hobson's Choice: A Lancashire Comedy in Four Acts

Set in the bustling streets of 1880 Salford, the play opens inside Hobson’s modest boot shop, a cramped but thriving business where red walls and brass gas lights frame the daily grind of clogs and customers. Hobson, the stubborn owner, dominates the shop with his brusque manner, while his three daughters each embody a different facet of life under his rule: Alice, the practical knitter; Vickey, the quiet reader; and Maggie, the eldest, sharp‑tongued and already handling the accounts.

When the well‑dressed Albert Prosser wanders in looking for a pair of bootlaces, Maggie seizes the moment to assert herself, turning a simple purchase into a subtle power play. Their banter hints at a growing attraction, but also at Maggie’s desire to break free from her father’s grip and prove her own worth. The stage is set for a lively clash of wills, humor, and the promise of change in a world where a woman’s ambition is as sturdy as the boots she sells.