Historical play goes extra mile (From Gazette Series)

Historical play goes extra mile

A JOURNEY is on offer tomorrow afternoon, and people don't have to travel far to get involved.

The Crooked Mile is the latest original production from Edge Community Theatre, to be performed at Wotton-under-Edge Town Hall in Market Street at 4pm on Saturday, July 30.

It follows the travels of a goatherd from Waterley Bottom, Peter Lisle, and his sister Tess - Peter is determined to escape the limits of his rural working existence, but Tess has a better understanding of the dangers in their 18th century life.

Along the way, there are dramatic encounters with various characters such as the posh Painswick family, a company of travelling players, a butterfly collector and a peddler.

Brushes with pirates and highwaymen feature the real-life Will Crewe who came from Old Town, Wotton-under-Edge.

The Crooked Mile is the culmination of a week's intensive work at Wotton Town Hall, involving more than 35 young people from the area.

As well as rehearsing and improvising the drama, members of the company have been making the set, props and costumes; practising original music and choreographing dances.

The young people also design and operate the lighting and sound equipment. Tickets for the show are available from the Cotswold Book Room, Long Street - £3 adults, £2 children and concessions. Proceeds will be donated to Wotton Historical Society, which runs the Heritage Centre.