Next Production...

 

CLICK HERE TO BOOK ONLINE

Ticket prices: Weds & Sat mat all tickets £10 / Thurs Adults £14, concessions £12 / Fri & sat evening all tickets £14

Witchfinder promises to be a spellbinding show, with a score that has even been compared to that of West End favourite Les Misérables. The 2009 world premiere in Mossley scooped five major accolades at the Greater Manchester Drama Federation Awards, including Best Book & Lyrics. A review from the premiere raved, “... a remarkable tale ... almost every tune is a winner, from big ensemble songs that stir, to ballads that romanticise ...” Paul Genty, Oldham Evening Chronicle.

So what’s all the excitement about?

The story is set in 1612 and Jacobean England is still reeling from the Gunpowder Plot and the implications it has for the people and the King; a king fearful of those who do not practice the faith of the state.
Against this backdrop, Witchfinder introduces the story of two young lovers from different classes and backgrounds, thrust together in a melting pot of politics and suspicion, fuelled by fear and an over zealous desire to hunt down the evildoers - whether they exist or not.
Prejudice, power, love and honour all vie for supremacy in both the corridors of power in London and the simple village life of Pendle in Lancashire, as they are pitted against each other in a struggle for truth - and survival.
This is a not just another musical. With a cast of 20 characters plus company, it has a script that has the weight of a pure drama but with soaring songs, beautifully orchestrated. Add to this an array of powerful and absorbing characters; real people, real lives... but with tragic and heart rending consequences. It paints a picture of humanity, which is just as resonant today, encompassing life and loss but more importantly, love and hope.


Directed by Howard Raw

Cast:

Roger Nowell (The Witchfinder) - Steve Maxfield
Capt James Roberts - James Cockerill
Lieut.Edward Sykes - Chris Law
Thomas Potts - Roger Dugdale
Catherine Howard - Sarah Thewlis
Lady Sarah Owen - Alison Curran
Alison Device - Keara Johnson
Jenet Device - Emily Fitton
Abraham - Nigel Winter
Josiah Wickham - Mike Conroy
Privy Council: David Richardson, Chris Robinson, John Simmons, Tony Stones
Jane - Ann Stubbs
Elizabeth - Sarah Croke