by Kelsee Jackson, dramaturg
I had a chance to go to England this past spring and one thing I was determined to do was visit Hindhead. After all, what a better way to dramaturg Misalliance than to visit the town where it takes place? Not only that, but Shaw himself spent a fair amount of time there too. So one lovely afternoon this past June, a friend and I dedicated a whole day to finding Hindhead and exploring it.
I was determined to do everything using only public transportation. To get to Hindhead from London, one must take a train to Haslemere, a small town in southern Surrey. Haslemere (pronounced hazel-meer) is also mentioned as the train station Bunny walks down from within the first few pages of the play. Getting a train to Haslemere was not a problem– it’s about an hour away from London and a regular service runs on most days. The tricky part was getting from Haslemere to Hindhead.
Upon arriving in Haslemere, we found a bus to take us to Hindhead. Before we went out to explore the natural beauty, we decided to see the town. My first impressions of Hindhead were quaint, quiet, and surrounded by GREEN. Because my friend and I had spent so much time in London, it was refreshing and lovely to get out in the green and breathe the fresh air.
No wonder Shaw placed this play in Hindhead. This beautiful town is just close enough to London to go if needed, but far enough away to relax and be apart from the busy city life. Hindhead is quiet and serene but that doesn’t mean there’s not anything to do.
Tune in next week for more about Hindhead!
