April In Paris, Hull Truck Theatre, Hull, until March 27 (From York Press)

April In Paris, Hull Truck Theatre, Hull, until March 27

1:19pm Friday 19th March 2010 in

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PLAYWRIGHTS John and Jane Godber are taking to the stage together for the first time in 18 years, reprising the roles in John’s two-hander April In Paris that they first played in 1992 at Hull Festival.

To mark the occasion, Jane is taking her marital surname for the first time after performing previously under the Equity name of Jane Clifford and writing her plays as Jane Thornton.

“Having returned to the stage, I thought, ‘well, my friends know me as Jane Godber’, and I suppose it fitted on the poster more easily… though I’ll still be Jane Thornton as a writer.”

John was spurred into staging April In Paris again after seeing two touring productions in Yorkshire last year by Ratatat Theatre and Esk Valley Theatre.

“What struck us about the Esk production was how ‘of the moment’ the play was, and as things have developed, nine months on, it still feels ‘of the moment’,” he says.

Last month, John and Jane spent a weekend in Paris, stirring memories of past trips.

“I didn’t go abroad until I was 30 when Paris was my first trip with Jane, and I was frightened by the language as I hadn’t done it at school. Bonjour was the sum of my usage,” says John. “I was frustrated that Jane wasn’t fluent either, and I remember saying ‘Deal with it because I can’t’.”

On such memories was the play built, and it remains as true a picture of British couples abroad as it ever was.

“What’s interesting is the island mentality that is still very much present here,” says John.

“But I think we’re easier now as a nation with foreigners,” says Jane. “When we first came to Hull, we didn’t hear any other languages but now you go round Tesco and hear four or five other languages being spoken, so now we’re not so frightened of other languages, and I think we’re more tolerant of the differences in people.”

• April In Paris runs at Hull Truck Theatre, Hull, until March 27. Box office: 01482 323638.