William Mossop a lanky fellow. Aged about 30 years. Willie is not naturally stupid but is “ stunted mentally by a brutalized childhood.” Willie clothes are mentioned as “a poorer edition of Tabby’s.” When Willie comes up the trap door like a rabbit he is praised by Mrs. Hepworth, “these are the best made pair of boots I’ve ever had.” In the film Willie looks up at Mrs. Hepworth and Mr. Hobson as a child looking up at adults.
The next scene Maggie calls Willie up from the cellar. Willie comes up then hesitates to come close to Maggie then demands Willie to show her his hands. Willie holds them out hesitatingly saying, “there dirty” (like child). Maggie values Willie’s skills,
“You’re a natural born genius at making boots.” Maggie referred to the big shops of Manchester. Willie is scared of going to bigger shops. Willie in the play always spoke the truth. Maggie asks Willie to marry her. Willie is baffled and when Willie is amazed he says “by gum.” Willie’s attitude changes he doesn’t want to marry Maggie and he tells her face-to-face.
When the word is broken out, Hobson gets angry. Willie stands up for himself when getting whipped. Willie kisses Maggie to get Hobson angry and then runs out of the door with Maggie. Maggie praises Willie by telling him, “I knew you had it in you, lad.”
A month later, Maggie and Willie go back to Hobson’s shop. Maggie tells Vickey and Alice that Willie and her are getting married. Alice doesn’t want Willie as her brother-in-law. Maggie back Willie up, “he’s as good as you are now, and better.” Willie interrupts her
“Way, come Maggie,” this shows that Willie still respects Vickey and Alice. Vickey calls Willie a queer. Maggie forces Vickey and Alice to kiss Willie and show that there are equal. Maggie at the end of act two still doesn’t trust Willie. She carries her own ring.
An actor playing the part of Willie Mossop in act one and two will have to play the part like as if he was a kid. The actor will have to be amazed easily. When Maggie asks him to marry her he will have to move back when saying, “ by gum.” In the first two acts the actor will as a shy and defenseless person. The actor will have to look puzzled by opening his eyes wide and speaking very slowly. Near the end of act one when Willie is whipped with Hobson’s belt, the actor will have to make a slight change. The actor will speak more like a man than a child but the audience will still see that he is scared.
To stress how the actor can play Willie’s part like a child at the start of the play, the actor will say his lines looking half way up from the trap door observing the so called adults (Mrs. Hepworth and Mr. Hobson).
Willie in act three looks and seems to have more confidence. Willie rushes his little speech at the start of act three. Maggie in front of Hobson shows that Willie is the master of the house. This is shown when Hobson asks Maggie if he can come in (Maggie’s and Willie’s house). Maggie replies, “well, I don’t know. I’ll have to ask the master about that.” Willie has got a lot more confidences than he had in act one and two.
Willie when asked question replied back with strong answer and also interrupted Hobson when between each sentences. Hobson, “…. I’ve dodged them, and they’ve caught me in the end. They’ll squeeze me dry for it.”
Willie, “my word, and that’s summit like a squeeze and all,” Willie interrupts Hobson and also is trying to bring comedy in to the play at the expense of Hobson. Willie seems to be astonished when Maggie refers to the “ Salford Reporter,” sarcastically Willie says, “ eh by gum, think of that! To have your name appearing in the Guardian!”
Willie at the end of act three is seen as a little boy as he was shown in act one and two. In his home Willie is exhibited as the “master” according to Maggie. Willie in the movie is shown as a little child as he was shown in act one and two. Willie is sitting down and looking up at Hobson and Albert, this similar to when Willie comes up the trap door and is looking up at Hobson and Mrs. Hepworth. How ever Willie is shown equal to Maggie, Vickey, Alice, Albert and Freddie when they all stand shoulder to shoulder in the film.
Willie’s confidence and self-reliance are much higher than they were in act one and two. The actor playing the part has to show this when acting, even thought in the middle of the act he is looking up at Hobson and Albert. When talking to Hobson the actor will have to say Willie’s lines loud and clear and sometimes with a bit of laughter when saying the lines that insult Hobson. The actor will have to be a stuck-up-snub in front of Hobson.
Act four, a morning a year later, Hobson is ill. When Willie enters into act four the play describes him, “ he is not aggressive but he is prosperous and his self-confidence against Alice and Vickey he is consciously on his mettle.” Willie has a lot more confidence; he now sees his sister-in-laws below him. As Willie puts Vickey and Alice in their places Alice says, “ William Mossop do you know how you are talking to?
Willie replies strongly, “aye, my wife’s young sisters….” This shows that Willie has changed over the year. At the start of the play he was a treated like a child being ordered around and now he is ordering the ones who order him around and all this a year later. Willie, “Maggie and me gave both of you a big leg up when we arranged your marriage portions…” Willie also says that Hobson doesn’t deserve any good treatment, “That’s a bit like asking if a pound of tea weighs heavier than a pound of lead… but I’m none worrited that bad I’ll see my business suffer for the sake of you.”
Hobson comments on Willie’s change he notices that Willie has a stiff neck with pride. Willie is answering Hobson back and is standing up to Hobson. Willie shows a lot of his self-reliance and confidence through little speeches. Willie when talking back to Hobson in act one and two used one word replies. In this particular act Willie starts to answer back with speeches, “’…. Your trade’s gone down till all you sell is clogs. You’ve got no trade, and me and Maggie’s got it all and now you’re on your bended knees to her to come and live with you, and all you think to offer me is my old job at eighteen shillings a week. Me…” and he keeps and going on and on.
In the film Willie in act one and two looked up at Hobson, who had his thumbs in his waistcoat but now in act four this is the complete opposite. Hobson is sitting down looking up at Willie with his thumbs in his waistcoat, making a little speech.
Willie’s ambitions are that he wants to have a shoe shop in Saint Ann’s Square. This wasn’t even in Willie’s mind at the start of the play. He didn’t want to move from Hobson’s shoe shop but he was force without an option. This all changed William Mossop isn’t a shoe hand but a class businessman. Willie is coming up in the world he dresses more like what he wants to be a businessman who owns his own shoe shop. So he doesn’t look like a low classed person and also to show the world his position.
The actor playing Willie has to make a very big change in the way he walks, talks and also the way he stands. The actor has to realize that this is not the Willie in act one and two who acted like a child. Willie in act four is a man, a bit higher than the average man. The actor will have to show this with the tone of his voice, speaking quickly and clearly.
Hobson’s Choice is a Lancashire comedy. It is set in 1880 in Salford. The themes apply to different times and different places. Issues that arose were about children vs. parents, women’s right and employment. The language is typical and the humor used in the play. The language was spoken in a Northerly accent, foe example “owt” meaning nothing. It is a sort of Standard English. The doctor has a Scottish accent, he used words like “ken” meaning understand and he also says “ye” and “ma” in English he means you and my.
Hobson’s Choice is very hard to direct. The stage direction are very detailed and paresis. It would be very difficult for a stage designer to put this on stage. For example, the stage director has to some how get Hobson’s shop, the cellar 39A Oldfield Road and also Hobson’s living room on stage.
Ummer Chaudhry 11H ☺