“Totally epic! Theatre and running and outdoors - perfect combination. Such beautiful props, costume and acting all fitting so aptly in the Lee Bay countryside.”
Once Upon a Time, in a small village in the depths of North Devon, a young girl put on her red shoes and cloak, and headed into the forest alone, watched by unseen eyes. As the shadows lengthened, she began to run - here began a mysterious night-time hunt for a rogue wolf, and what an adventure it was!
The Company of Wolves by Burn the Curtain - a few words written by Mary B Jackson, Beaford Trustee & Mother Superior!
On such wet, wild, windy nights gifted with a full moon as these, deep down in Fuschia Valley, Lee, North Devon an extraordinary event took place over three nights. Outdoor theatre but outdoor immersive theatre where the audience were designated as either hunters (runners) or gatherers (walkers) ahead of performance and pre-warned by Granny to be prepared for inclement weather with mud underfoot.
Deep forays into the woods for the intrepid troupe, guided at times by Peter the Priest, or Ruby, or the Duke… or simply the marshalls posing as nuns led by lighting at the front with sound effects at the rear snaking carefully and purposefully by streams, avoiding tree roots, overhanging branches, slippery rocks.
Along the way were lit globes wedged into trees with soundbites adding to the story of Ruby visiting her grandmother, mention of how to cope with a wolf and the rest. Story-book characters appeared including Ruby in her red cloak en route to visit her grandmother, the hunter who wanted just one kiss, the priest to recount his story of how Wolf Alice got her name and Wolf Alice herself appeared a wolf-child incapable of speech scrabbling at a chest anxious to tell her story via the contents within.
And, of course there were the wolves red eyes glowing standing upright springing on the wet grass hunting, waiting for the kill.
Guiding themselves by torches and lanterns the intrepid troupe made its way pausing occasionally to glance up at the watery, mist-strewn moon all entered into a spirit of weird magic, mystery and wonder culminating in a light-strewn circle with fire-torches and a battle of good versus evil where charms were burnt, life-death decisions made and the new wolves unmasked.
The final images of the characters disappearing into the night from whence they came was poignant and yet terrifying…we had had a very close encounter with the complexity of an adapted fairy-tale where no-one really lived quite the same ever after.
A bit shout-out to the company, Burn the Curtain and of course my fellow Nuns (stewards) who made these nights to remember at this witchity, (wolfing) time of the year and a huge thank you to all who came and saw past the mud, rain and wind to respond to live theatre.
…And remember the worst wolf is the one that is hairy within!
