Sold out tribute to Geordie 'father of modern rowing' moves on to Newcastle

Harry "Hadaway" Clasper Jamie Brown and Wyne Miller - Friday night London Rowing Club

Hadaway Harry, the wonderful story of the great Tyneside Victorian rower Harry Clasper, has played to a sold out house three times this weekend and is now moving up to Newcastle to the far larger (1200 seater) Theatre Royal.


Harry Clasper

It was fitting that the London production was at Putney's London Rowing Club on the banks of the Thames where Harry led teams from the Tyne to clinch eight 'Championship of the World' titles from 1845 to 1859.

Standing ovations from full houses at all productions in Putney were well deserved by Jamie Brown (Harry Clasper) and Wayne Miller (various characters). The first half gives the audience the background (historical, sporting and familial) to the great Tyneside Victorian rower with the second half focusing on his revolutionary design for slimmer, lighter boats using metal outriggers which are still used by modern rowers, which spurred him and his brothers and uncle on to beat the "unbeatable" Thamesmen and take back to Newcastle the title Champions of the World.

One local resident who saw the production on Friday told this website: “Ed Waugh’s unusual play brings to life an important piece of rowing history, and Jamie Brown’s performance as Harry Clasper was captivating-especially his spellbinding solo enactment of the Tyneside crew’s victory on the Thames at Putney in 1845. This was live theatre at its best.”

The show writen by Ed Waugh culminates in 1845 when Harry "Hadaway" Clasper, his three brothers (one was the cox) and 'auld' uncle Ned won the first world title in the Lord Ravensworth - a boat designed and built by Clasper - in a tightly raced battle. By the end you feel you have taken part in every stroke of the race as Jamie Brown talks & 'rows' your through the race stroke by stroke'.

Ed Waugh explained: “Rowing was the sport of the working class prior to football. Every major river had its champion so there was huge interest in matches because civic pride was at stake. We can’t wait to play the Theatre Royal. People will not only be entertained by the show but they will learn that working people also create history, not just kings and queens!”

The show combines a 'history lesson' c/o Wayne Miller with humour, whilst showing the grit and determination needed - modern day rowers including the Olympians watching the show will have been intrigued by and jealous of the training regime including ale and port wine - for the illiterate son of a coal miner to win against the odds making him not only a local hero but a national hero to the followers of 'aquatics'/rowing.





Jamie Brown as Harry "Hadaway" Clasper

February 23, 2017