‘A Taste of Honey’ by Shelagh Delaney playing from 10th February at the National Theatre, South Bank, London, SE1 9PX.

Written by Shelagh Delaney when she was nineteen, A Taste of Honey is one of the great defining and taboo-breaking plays of the 1950s.

When her mother Helen runs off with a car salesman, feisty teenager Jo takes up with a black sailor who promises to marry her, before he heads for the seas, leaving her pregnant and alone. Art student Geoff moves in and assumes the role of surrogate parent until, misguidedly, he sends for Helen and their unconventional setup unravels.

It’s chaotic – a bit of love, a bit of lust and there you are. We don’t ask for life, we have it thrust upon us.

A Taste of Honey offers an explosive celebration of the vulnerabilities and strengths of the female spirit in a deprived and restless world. Bursting with energy and daring, this exhilarating and angry depiction of harsh, working-class life in post-war Salford is shot through with love and humour, and infused with jazz.

Audio-described performance at 7.30pm on Friday 28 March and 2.15pm on Saturday 29 March, preceded by a Touch Tour at 12.45pm.

Captioned performances at 7.30pm on Thursday 3 April.

Photo (Lesley Sharp and Kate O’Flynn) by Phil Fisk