Remember Remember

My wife Nettes and I went to see this play the other night at a local church. We were very impressed by this, the latest production from the Riding Lights Theatre Company. It tells the story of the gunpowder plot from the viewpoint of one of the conspirators. The main story is interspersed with more contemporary scenes of terrorism from both the IRA and Islamic fundamentalism. It didn’t take that long to get used to the minimalist set design and costumes and the fact that some actors played more than one part. I was soon caught up in the story. I found the portrayal of religious persecution particularly powerful. The image of the worshippers leaping up at the slightest sound is one that will stick with me. I also liked the development of the hero’s character – from someone reluctant to talk of his faith through someone who took action to finally someone who was repentant. It is interesting that the fact that the gunpowder plot took place 400 years ago is still recalled in our national celebrations. But the parallels drawn with the war on terrorism and the recent London bombing is even more chilling.