The St Cuthbert’s Players have drawn on a dark chapter of history for their latest production.
The play, called Witch Way To Pendle? (pictured), tells the story of the 'Pendle witches'; a group of villagers who were hung at Lancaster in 1612 on the hysterical evidence of a nine-year-old.
The drama explores the notion of James 1 having a paranoid fear of witchcraft, and local magistrates gaining promotion by pandering to this.
“In dramatising this, I added the Gunpowder Plot of just a few years previously, which added to the king’s fears, and Shakespeare's writing of Macbeth to play to the king's scottish ancestry and the fear of witches,” said Tony Hanney of the Players.
“We have taken a few liberties in making some historical connections and hope that an all-age cast with music live and recorded will make for an entertaining evening.”
The show runs at St Cuthbert's Unity centre, Wilmer Road, Heaton, from October 16 to 18. Tickets are available on (01274) 401461.