The Box Office for our October production, “The Welkin”, the feminist courtroom drama by Lucy Kirkwood with Laura Coady making her directorial debut, is now… open!
 
The year is 1759 in the Norfolk/Suffolk border.  The country awaits the anticipated arrival of Halley’s Comet. The daughter of Lady Wax has been murdered and the residents of this rural town are out for blood. Sally Poppy has been found guilty of the crime, along with her lover who has already been hanged.  But there is a twist...she has ‘pled the belly’. But is she heavily pregnant or lying to save herself? Sally’s fate lies in the hands of twelve women, gathered to make a unanimous decision one way or the other.  Some of the women have reasons for being part of the jury, others cannot wait until their duty is over. Their status, age, and class is varied; one is in the first flush of marriage, another is in her eighties. One of the women is barren, another has had twenty-one children.  
 
Amidst their bickering and teasing, one woman understands the importance of their presence in the jury room. The midwife, Lizzy, knows that, despite the mob baying for blood outside the window, the twelve women have the chance to make an important, life-changing decision in a world governed by men.  
 
This is a big, bold and passionate play that combines an ability to dive headlong into a strange, and at times shocking past, whilst resonating strongly with today.  Within its rich tapestry the play also allows room for much warmth, humorous characterisation and frequent bickering. Due to the nature of the production, the recommended audience age is 14+ but this is down to parent discretion.  Director Laura says; "𝑰 𝒂𝒎 𝑺𝑶 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 ‘𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒆𝒍𝒌𝒊𝒏’ 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑶𝒙𝒍𝒆𝒚 𝑺𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒂 𝒃𝒓𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒂𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒅𝒆𝒃𝒖𝒕; 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒙 𝒚𝒆𝒕 𝒇𝒖𝒏𝒏𝒚, 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒚𝒆𝒕 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒚, 𝒓𝒂𝒘 𝒚𝒆𝒕 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒅𝒆 𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒂𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒔 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒎 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒈𝒆; 𝒔𝒉𝒐𝒘𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒅𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒔, 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒅𝒖𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒅𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒚.”
 
Tickets cost £12* (*plus booking fee) and can be purchased by clicking the BUY TICKETS button on the left.  Please note, tickets can only be purchased online, but for any ticket enquiries, please email richingsplayers@mail.com. Performances at Iver Village Hall are Thursday 3rd October, Friday 4th October and Saturday 5th October at 7.30pm. Doors will open 15 minutes before curtain up.