MALC McGOOKIN appreciates a graphic novel that records the history of the legendary peace camp and surveys the state of the right to protest in contemporary Britain
Latest editorial
Counting the costs of communal sacrifice in plague-stricken Eyam
Contagious tragedy: Eyam Pic: Marc Brenner
SYLVIA HIKINS recommends a fascinating, revealing, superbly acted evening of theatre
New releases from Otherlands Trio, Isabelle Bodenseh, Kris Davis and the Lutoslawski Quartet
STEVEN ANDREW praises a beautifully written and enjoyable read
ROGER McKENZIE suggest this book is used as a resource to help spark resistance to the rise of nuclear power
The allies of the US, like our own country, end up dominated and cowed, concludes ALEX HALL
Eyam
Shakespeare's Globe, London
WHEN the plague arrived in 1665 at the Peak District village of Eyam, the villagers took the heroic decision to close their gates and ride out the effects rather than flee and spread the contagion in Derbyshire. Thirteen months later, only 83 of its 356 inhabitants had survived.
Don Taylor’s Roses of Eyam first brought this communal sacrifice to the stage in the 1970s, but Matt Hartley’s new play for the Globe removes the idealised gauze. His villagers are hard products of the mines, poverty and civil war and internecine disputes rage — imagine The Crucible written by Jimmy McGovern.
Sam Crane’s idealistic, rather insipid reverend arrives at his new parish with his strong-willed and supportive wife (Priyanga Burford) to find the previous churchman has been lynched. There is a long-time contender for his role and the villagers are at each other’s throats.
Similar stories
MARY CONWAY becomes impatient with the intellectual self-indulgence of Tom Stoppard in a production that is, nevertheless, total class
MARY CONWAY applauds the success of Beth Steel’s bitter-sweet state-of-the-nation play
GORDON PARSONS joins a standing ovation for a brilliant production that fuses Shakespeare’s tragedy with Radiohead's music
SIMON PARSONS is taken by a thought provoking and intelligent play performed with great sensitivity