Light Shining in Buckinghamshire

by Caryl Churchill

Performed by MA Acting - Contemporary

Overview

Let England Shake! 1646, soldiers are fighting in the belief that Christ will come and establish heaven on earth. It’s England’s great moment of revolution and for a time anything seems possible. Is there a chance of greater equality and the start of true democracy in England, or will the forces of property and establishment prevail?

“For really I think that the poorest he in England hath a life to live as the greatest he”, Colonel Thomas Rainborough, a Leveller. 

The play explores the ‘levelling’, ecstatic and anarchic ideals surging throughout the English Civil war, and their ultimate betrayal. 

“You great Curmudgeons, you hang a man for stealing, when you yourselves have stolen from your brethren all land and creatures”, More Light Shining in Buckinghamshire, a Digger pamphlet 1649.

By arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd. www.concordtheatricals.co.uk
 

Online

The filmed version of the production will be available to view online from 5.00pm on Wednesday 23 March until 5.00pm on Wednesday 6 April.

Directors - Morwenna Rowe, Martin Wylde

Designer - Sammy Dowson

Composer/Musician - Tom Newell

Movement Director - Sachi Kimura

Lighting Designer - Jamie Platt

Costume Supervisor - Fran Levin

Production Manager - David Salter

Stage Manager - Catriona McHugh

Deputy Stage Manager - Phoebe Eldekvist

Assistant Stage Manager - Lisa Pleass

Scenic Artist - Jenny Cashman

Thanks to - Ben Hebbert for the loan of the 1641 Viola by Jacob Rayman of Southwark, which is played pre-show and in the interval. The Scenic Arts students from BA (Hons) Theatre Practice for their help with the set.

Act 1

Full company - Fear And The Pit

Felix Uff - Cobbe Prays

Luke Oliver, Anni Epstein - The Vicar Talks To His Servant

Diana Feng, Sushant Shekhar, David Patterson - Margaret Brotherton Is Tired

Jack Firoozan as friend, Joseph Evans as Briggs, Joshua Going as Star, ensemble - Star Recruits

Clarisse Zamba, Fabrizio Matteini - Brotherton Meets The Man

Aleeza Humranwala as Briggs, Alex O’Donnell as Star - Briggs Joins Up

Diana Feng, Felix Uff, ensemble - Hoskins Interrupts The Preacher

Tania Khan as Hoskins, Tegan Verheul as Claxton’s wife, Luke Oliver as Claxton - Claxton Brings Hoskins Home

Clarisse Zamba, Sushant Shekhar - Cobbe’s Vision

Emma Veares, Alex O’Donnell - Two Women Look In A Mirror

Jack Firoozan, ensemble - Briggs Recalls A Battle

Anni Epstein as Sexby, Emma Veares as Wildman, Tegan Verheul as Cromwell, Clarisse Zamba as Rich, Joshua Going as Rainborough, David Patterson as Ireton, Felix Uff as Scribe - The Putney Debates

Act 2

Fabrizio Matteini as Winstanley, ensemble - Diggers

Joseph Evans - Claxton Explains

Clarisse Zamba as Briggs, Fabrizio Matteini as Star - Briggs Writes A Letter

Luke Oliver - The War In Ireland

Alex O’Donnell as Vicar, David Patterson as Star - The Vicar Welcomes The New Landlord

Anni Epstein, Aleeza Humranwala - A Woman Leaves Her Baby

Tegan Verheul - A Butcher Talks To His Customers

Diana Feng - Lockyer’s Funeral

Aleeza Humranwala as Hoskins, Tania Khan as Brotherton, Jack Firoozan as Claxton, Joseph Evans as Cobbe, Sushant Shekhar as Briggs, Fabrizio Matteini as Drunk - The Meeting

Clarisse Zamba as Hoskins, Emma Veares as Brotherton, Anni Epstein as Claxton, Luke Oliver as Cobbe, Felix Uff as Briggs, Joshua Going as Drunk - After