When Githa Sowerby's
Rutherford & Son premiered in 1912 it was an instant hit until it got out that its author was female, at which point it quickly fell out of favour. It's not hard to see why it might cause discomfort in a time when the Suffragettes were in the news, and it might say "son" in the title but it's the daughter - and the daughter-in-law - who ultimately make the biggest impression. John Rutherford (Barrie Rutter) is a domestic tyrant: Having inherited the family business he's turned it into a very successful glassworks through hard work and a ruthless attitude. But this ruthlessness follows him home, where he hopes one of his sons will take over the business and let his name live on after his death. But it's this single-minded determination that they should follow in his footsteps that ends up pushing them away.
