Hetty Feather

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Hetty Feather by Jacqueline Wilson
Hetty feather.jpg
Author Jacqueline Wilson
Illustrator Nick Sharratt
Cover artist Nick Sharratt
Country United Kingdom
Publisher Doubleday
Publication date
2009
Pages309 pp (first edition, hardback)
ISBN 978-0-385-61444-3 (first edition, hardback)
Followed by Sapphire Battersea  

Hetty Feather is a book by English author Jacqueline Wilson. It is about a young red-haired girl who was left by her mother at the Foundling Hospital as a baby and follows her story as she lives in a foster home before returning to the Foundling Hospital as a curious and bad-tempered five-year-old. There are more books to the "series" of Hetty Feather, which are recommended for ages 9–11 according to the author. [1] CBBC created a TV series based on the book, with Isabel Clifton portraying Hetty. The programme was first aired in 2015. In the United States BYUtv has the US broadcast rights and began airing it in March 2018.

Contents

The book is followed by Sapphire Battersea . The series comprises (in order of publication) Hetty Feather,Sapphire Battersea,Emerald Star, Diamond, and Little Stars.

Plot

Hetty was abandoned at the Foundling Hospital as a newborn baby. Children abandoned at the hospital are in Foster care or fostered until the age of five, at the nearest date when they turn 5 years old they will be returned to the hospital to start their education. Hetty spends her earlier life as a foster child under the care of Peg and John Cotton who she knows as her mother and her father, and grows close to their biological son, Jem. She is very unaware that she will one day have to leave the Cottons. There are other foster children in her home as well as Peg and John's own children. One day, she discovers a circus, where she meets Madame Adeline, whom she believes to be her mother because of her bright red hair, which is very similar to Hetty's own.

Finally, the time comes for Hetty and Gideon to be sent back to the Foundling Hospital. Everyone in the family is devastated, and Jem and Hetty promise to find each other again with a coin to remember each other. Hetty finds her time in the hospital miserable and oppressive, and often rebels or otherwise talks back in an environment where she's expected to be meek and obedient. This earns her the animosity of the hospital's Matrons, who punish her severely. Despite that, she manages to make friends among fellow foundlings and even staff, including Ida, a kind kitchen maid.

When Hetty is a little older, the children at the Foundling Hospital go to the Queen's Golden Jubilee. On the trip, Hetty sees a circus and believes it's the one that Madame Adeline belongs to. When she discovers it isn't, Hetty manages to run away to find the right one and Madame Adeline along with it. Upon meeting her, Hetty is appalled to discover that Adeline is much older than she appears and that her red hair is a wig. Madame Adeline is kind to her but tells her she must return to the hospital. Hetty once again runs away but stumbles into a bad district where she is nearly kidnapped by a sinister man until an older girl who sells flowers named Sissy saves her. Sissy takes Hetty to her home, where she meets her terribly ill sister, Lil, and her drunkard father. Sissy and Hetty go out to sell flowers the following day, whereupon they are approached by a writer named Sarah Smith. Miss Smith takes Sissy and Hetty to a restaurant, where she asks questions for her new book "Penny for a Posy" and Hetty concocts an elaborate tale of her life as a flower girl. After asking her questions, Sarah Smith reveals that she is a new benefactor for the hospital and that she recognises Hetty as the girl who has run away but praises her story-telling abilities. Sissy leaves and Sarah takes Hetty back to the hospital after buying her ink and a book as a treat to record her precious memoirs.

When Hetty is returned to the hospital, Ida collapses upon seeing her. Sarah Smith tells the matron that Hetty was kidnapped and there is to be no punishment, which the matron has no choice but to obey. Hetty is allowed to visit Ida in her attic room, where Ida reveals that she is Hetty's mother and has been working at the hospital to look after her. Hetty's father is revealed to be a man with red hair as well as a sailor with whom she has no contact. Ida tells Hetty it must be their secret, as she will get sacked if she is found out and will no longer be able to see her. The book ends with Ida and Hetty planning a happy future together.

Characters

TV adaptation

Hetty Feather was filmed by CBBC Productions under lead writer Helen Blakeman, and aired on British TV channel CBBC in May 2015. [2] [3] [4] Film locations for the TV adaption are entirely in the county of Kent and include Cobham Hall School for girls in Cobham, Kent doubling as an orphanage, Belmont House and Gardens in Faversham doubling as Calendar Hall, Maidstone TV Studios to build various sets, including classrooms, the kitchen and a library and The Historic Dockyard Chatham which provided several locations to stand in for Victorian London including the streets around the Ropery, Tarred Yarn Store, Officer's Terrace and Admiral's Offices. [5] Isabel Clifton starred as Hetty. [6] Each series consists of ten 30-minute episodes and there are six series in total aired between 2015 and 2020. [2]

Stage adaptation

In 2014 Hetty Feather was adapted for the stage. The production opened at Rose Theatre, Kingston in April 2014 before embarking on a UK tour. [7] It then transferred to the West End at the Vaudeville Theatre and opened on 5 August. [8] It was subsequently nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Family and Entertainment Show. [9] The show was adapted by Emma Reeves and directed by Sally Cookson with Phoebe Thomas in the title role.

Original cast

Musician Alex Heane joined the company for the West End run.

2015–2016 revival

A revival of the show saw another West End run at the Duke of York's Theatre in summer of 2015 [10] followed by a 2015-16 UK tour, including a residence over Christmas at The Lowry in Manchester. [11] [12] In June 2016 there were performances at the Asolo Repertory Theatre in Sarasota, Florida.

The show had another revival over the Christmas season 2017–18 at the Nuffield Theatre, Southampton. The play can be seen on live streaming at BroadwayHD. [13]

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References

  1. "Recommended for age 9-11 - Jacqueline Wilson". Archived from the original on 1 November 2010. Retrieved 6 November 2010.
  2. 1 2 Wiseman, Andreas (22 November 2013). "CBBC to adapt Jacqueline Wilson's Hetty Feather". Broadcastnow.co.uk. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  3. "Press release: CBBC announces new drama commissions". BBC Media Center. 22 November 2013. Retrieved 7 May 2015. Hetty Feather will air on CBBC in 2014/15. Lead writer is Helen Blakeman
  4. Delgado, Kasia (7 May 2015). "Which is your favourite Jacqueline Wilson book?". Radio Times . Immediate Media Company . Retrieved 7 May 2015. The CBBC adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson's 2009 book Hetty Feather starts on Monday
  5. Kent Film Office. "Kent Film Office Hetty Feather Article".
  6. "Hetty Feather casting news". Screenterrier.blogspot.co.uk. June 2014. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  7. 1 2 "Rose Theatre Kingston". Rosetheatrekingston.org. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  8. "Jacqueline Wilson's Hetty Feather transfers to West End". Whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  9. "Best Entertainment & Family - Olivier Awards". Archived from the original on 3 May 2015. Retrieved 21 April 2015.
  10. "Hetty Feather Live - West End production at Asolo Repertory Theatre, Sarasota, Florida". Hettyfeatherlive.com. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  11. Hutchison, David (17 March 2015). "Hetty Feather returns to West End for second run - News". Thestage.co.uk. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  12. "Jacqueline Wilson's Hetty Feather returns to West End". Whatsonstage.com. Retrieved 16 February 2019.
  13. "Hetty Feather Live" . Retrieved 19 May 2020.