February 22, 1994 to February 26, 1994
By Don Taylor
Directed by Laura Hetherington
"Ring a ring of roses a pocket full of posies
atishoo, atishoo,we all fall down"
A remarkable and true story of a village stricken with plague through the arrival from London of a box of clothing; of the villagers determination, under the persuasions of the present and former Rectors, to prevent its spread by remaining within the village and containing the desease at the certain risk of their own lives; of the human tragedies and even comedies that ensued; of the idealism and the courage required to live with that idealism. Period 1666.
Cast
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William Mompesson...........Richard Stevenson
Sir George Saville......................Tony Whitley
Catherine Mompesson.....................Sue Orme
The Bedlam.................................Richard Mills
Old Unwin.................................David Walford
Andrew Merril.............................Mike Asprey
Marshal Howe........................Adrian Wickens
Thomas Stanley..........................John Woolley
Rowland Torre.................Jeffrey Di-Dominico
George Vicars................................Peter Raby
Colonel Bradshaw.......................Colin French
Mrs Bradshaw......................Marjorie Howarth
A Carter......................................David Wright
Richard Sydall.............................Martin Illston
Mrs Sydall...............................Anthea Blundell
Emmot Sydall......................Kathryn Werbinski
Sarah Sydall................................Claire Bolton
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Isaac Thornley...............................Alan Morton
Marianne Thornley......................Pauline Green
Edward Thornley........................Mark Johnson
Elizabeth Thornley.......................Pam Burrows
Edytha Torre...................................Vida Ayres
Lydia Torre.................................Tracy Hanson
Alice Torre...................................Janet Townes
Scythe Torre.......................................Del Pabla
Mrs Cooper.....................................Val Whitley
Edith Cooper...........................Jenny McDonald
Jane Cooper..............................Jessica Redfern
George Mower...............................Robert Gray
William Hancocke...........................Dean Davis
Alice Hancocke..............................Tanya Guest
Elizabeth Hancocke....................Audrey Warne
Mrs Hancocke............................Wendy Walker
George Frith...................................Steve Pryce
Frances Frith................................Wendy Nutty
Mary Frith...................................Holly Townes
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For The Marlowe Players
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Stage Manager...............Raymond Gumbley
Properties...........Wendy Nutty, Steve Pryce
Wardrobe........Val Whitley, Carole Wheatley
(Costumes from Abbotsholme School and Marlowes Wardrobe)
Continuity......Charlotte Walford, Pat Adams
Lighting.................Tony Whitley, Dean Davis
Sound..............................................Gil Townes
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Set Design....Gil Townes, Frank Grundy
Historical Research............Val Whitley
Music/Choreography......David Walford
...............Suzanne Illston, Val Whitley
Photography.....................Dean Davis
Artists......Stephen Coley, David Evans
.....................................Debra Yates
Tech Assistants...Nick Beric, Jim Lawson
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Plague
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"Plague is a bacterial infection of animals and man called byyersnia pestis...The infection has explosive epidemic potential and has been a mass killer of populations throughout history. Mortality is high in untreated cases, but antibiotic treatment given early in the disease markedly reduces fatalities."
(Thomas Butler)
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| "Most cases of plague in man, even in the great epidemics, come indirectly to him from the wild. There is an intermediate host. The black rat lives close to man in his house, outbuildings or workplace. The brown rat lives in his sewers and has contact with the black rat and with wild rodents. When the rat dies the flea that gave it plague must find a new living host, and that host may be man." |
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"Plague comes from plaga, a blow. To the Romans it came as a bolt or blast hurled by one of their angered Gods, and later it was accepted by Christians too as an agony sent down on them for their shortcomings. To Mohammedans it was a martyrdom or mercy related to the Jihad or Holy War. When it gained stength to spread to the west it was the Black Death or La Morte Nera. In modern times it has come under control, but when it breaks out, it kills again.
(A.B. Christie)
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"A flea, a rat, a bacillus and man: given that quartet and plague will circulate among them."
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"Many a mile comes plague, a winged wolf."
(Shelley)
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