In search of all that glitters – In Skagway at the Arcola

Fading prospects: In Skagway sees actress ‘Frankie’ face hard times in Alaska

Lured by glittering promises of fame and fortune during the turn of nineteenth century America, thousands of hopeful men boarded steamers bound for the Alaskan Panhandle to prospect for gold.

But Karen Ardiff’s play In Skagway, which sees its British premiere at the Arcola Theatre this month, tells the oft-neglected story of the women caught up in the ruddy glamour of the Klondike Gold Rush.

Directed by Russell Bolam, this ‘all-female Irish Western’ follows the story of actress Francis ‘Frankie’, her dresser May and May’s daughter T-belle as they escape starvation in Ireland and set out in search of a better life in America.

Frankie enjoys her fifteen minutes of fame in New York but as they travel from state to state her fading talents and penchant for drink means that the trio pitches up broke in Skagway – a town ‘on the edge of the world’ – where the play begins.

Geraldine Alexander who will play the part of May and is currently enjoying the “soupy stage” of rehearsals at the Arcola explains it was the compelling narrative that drew her to the script.

“It’s all disastrous but its great fun and is told with great humour. Karen [Ardiff] has that Irish quality of storytelling where everything becomes a yarn. It’s very funny, but it’s also horribly sad,” she says.

Frankie, May and T-belle’s hopes of making money out of Skagway’s booming population of workmen are dashed as they fall prey to local swindlers such as prostitute Nelly ‘the pig’ and conman ‘Soapy Smith’, and are then overcome by illness and poverty.

Alexander explains that Ardiff’s characters were inspired by real historical figures.

“It’s really refreshing to look back in history and see that there were strong women, because we don’t hear about them historically. All we hear about are the men who went to the Klondike but a lot of the women were amazing and independent strong business-women who lived among these men in appalling conditions,” she says.

Stories of gutsy, pioneering pre-Victorian women are a rarity. Karen Ardiff’s tale of four Irish immigrants attempting to make ends meet looks set to provide a refreshing take on the old yarns as Dalston is transported to the wild and lonely vistas of Alaska.

In Skagway is at the Arcola, 24 Ashwin St, E8 3DL until 1 March.