Jane Wenham: Onesuffolk

They say all publicity is good publicity - but Rebecca Lenkiewicz's new play has stirred up controversy before its even started its tour by being banned by Ipswich Girls School as being unsuitable in subject matter for the pupils - although it should be noted that Arthur Miller's The Crucible was on GCSE lists for many years and covers a similar subject.

The Suffolk/Essex area has its own tragic history of witch-hunt's in the form of Witchfinder General Mathew Hopkins in the 1640's - a time when it is estimated up to 100,000 women were killed across the country in the mass terror.

Based on a true story this play is set in 1712, a long time after the main hysteria but nevertheless in living memory of the characters we focus on. The drama opens on an atmospheric set  - dark and gloomy - wooden chairs and benches and a gibbet in the background. A young girl, Ann Thorn (Hannah Hutch), is mourning her mother who has just been hanged for being a witch. The trial has opened old wounds and the Bishop, played with sensitivity by David Acton, doesn't believe that the woman was guilty and doesn't want to go back to those dark times. Unfortunately the new Rev on the block is a stickler for the rule book - a young zealot who believes every word and letter of the Holy Book and wants to impose it on his flock - by force if there is no other way.

Jane Wenham( Amanda Bellamy) is an old women who sells healing poultices and potions - she has lived in the village all her life but in her youth was tried as a witch. The village gossips have been stirred up though, and after the death of a child by drowning the accusations start to fly. Rev Samuel Crane (Tim Delap) decides that the only way forward is to try Jane for witchcraft.

The play covers not only historical ignorance and superstition but subjects like prejudice, religious intolerance and racism are brought into the mix. These are difficult and emotive subjects to tackle but are handled with sensitivity and even a dash of humour.

The dialogue is excellent, invoking the time and place very well - and each member of the cast well chosen for their roles. The minimal set serves  to represent a number of locations including the local inn, the gossip's house and the rectory. The short snappy scene structure moves the action along, and the characters are rounded out and believable. 

It was interesting to see the intolerance from the younger religious man - the older bishop has seen life and learnt from it - he has a rescued slave as his housekeeper/lover and is a man that believes in God's peace. Rev Crane only sees in black and white - and believes his is the only right view.

This is a play that doesn't hold back from uncomfortable scenes - there is frank sexual discourse and a small amount of part nudity when Jane is interrogated. But this all lends to the drama and the subject matter deserves this mature handling.

Not play for under 15s perhaps - but for older teenagers as well as adults an important part of our history, sensitively explored, that has so many resonances today.

Thoroughly recommended.

Suzanne Hawkes