# The Black Week explained — The Good Companions

> Chapter companion for The Good Companions by J. B. Priestley.

## What happens

The chapter details the troupe's disastrous week at Tewborough, beginning with a command performance at Custon Hall for the eccentric Mrs. Hodney, which goes poorly. The troupe arrives in Tewborough to find it a depressed and decaying industrial town. Jimmy Nunn falls ill, Morton Mitcham gets drunk and nearly ruins a show, and the troupe's morale collapses. Miss Trant struggles to hold things together, and Mr. Oakroyd delivers a grim verdict on the town.

## Themes in this chapter

### Illusion vs. Reality

The troupe's hopes for Tewborough as a grand opportunity are shattered by the town's grim reality, and the command performance at Custon Hall fails to live up to expectations.

### Community and Belonging

The troupe's internal bonds are tested by illness, drunkenness, and despair, yet they still rely on each other to survive the week.

## Character check-ins

### Elizabeth Trant

Miss Trant arranges the Custon Hall performance, deals with the aftermath of Morton Mitcham's drunkenness, and feels overwhelmed by the despair of Tewborough.

### Jess Oakroyd

Mr. Oakroyd travels ahead to Tewborough with Miss Trant, delivers a blunt assessment of the town ('It's bloody awful'), and continues his duties.

### Inigo Jollifant

Inigo describes the disastrous Custon Hall performance to Mr. Oakroyd and is eager to hear about Tewborough.

### Jimmy Nunn

Jimmy falls ill and is unable to perform, causing further trouble for the troupe.

### Morton Mitcham

Mitcham gets drunk and nearly ruins a show, then apologizes to Miss Trant, blaming Tewborough as his 'Waterloo.'

### Joe Brundit

Mrs. Joe is ill but insists she can still perform, showing her determination.

## Key lines

> It began, that awful week, before they reached Tewborough. It began—at least for eight of them—on the Sunday night at Middleford.

The disastrous week started even before they arrived in Tewborough, specifically for eight members of the troupe on that Sunday night in Middleford.

_Opening lines set the tone for the chapter's misfortunes._

> Tewborough was like an engine with a burst boiler lying on the side of a road; it was a moneymaking machine that had almost stopped working.

Tewborough is compared to a broken-down steam engine, a once-productive industrial town that has now nearly ceased to function.

_Vivid metaphor for the town's economic decay._

> I'm not going to stand by and do nothing when he's in such a state. I told him where it would land him before he'd done but he wouldn't have it.

Mrs. Joe refuses to ignore Jimmy's illness, having warned him earlier of the consequences.

_Shows Mrs. Joe's practical and protective nature._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_good_companions_se/chapters/vi-the-black-week
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_good_companions_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_good_companions_se/chapters