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Twilight Tales
July 2004 Production - After Midnight, Before Dawn
Director: Ashley Dunn
This was a very haunting play in which six characters are locked in a prison cell over-night waiting to be hanged for witchcraft in the morning. They have all taken a beating and some are whimpering and scared like Rob Anderson's Boy who at the beginning of the play is lying on the floor crying, too scared to speak to anyone but the young Girl - Nicky Stringer. She hasn't listened to the sentencing and thinks that her only problem will be trying to explain to her employer where she has been all night. Simon Smith as Religious Man begins the play believing that there is no hope of survival, the only thing he can do is spend his last night praying to God in the hope that he will soon be in Heaven. Gareth Jones as Man paces the floor and curses the gossips and tell-tales that contributed to his being locked up for nothing and Neat Woman (Anne Turner) sits constantly tidying herself and muttering that she is innocent and she must be set free soon. Only Ali Morris as Calm Woman is silent and just listens to the others.
As the action unfolds the audience learn that Calm Woman is not locked up erroneously like the others and is happy to admit that she has practiced witchcraft and made a deal with the devil so that she won't hang with the others. The others in their state of desperation begin to see things her way and chant with her to sell their souls to the devil for the chance to be saved from their fate. Only Girl remains true and prays to God to save the others and forgive them for enticing the devil. When he can't take any more of her shouting Man strangles her with his chains. Things get even more sinister when Calm Woman announces that she has no idea if they will live or die, the deal she made with the devil was to collect their souls for him and that she'd duly done. They kill her for deceiving them and are left waiting to be taken away with two murders on their conscience.
Part of three one-act plays performed. See also A Cut In The Rates and Cards, Cups and Crystal Ball.
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