Whittingham 1918

Whittingham 1918 was a new play written for the Whittingham Lives project by playwright and Whittingham Lives Board Member Eric Northey, and was based on research into papers on Whittingham Asylum, held at Lancashire Archives. 

It highlighted and reinterpreted the drama of Whittingham Asylum as WW1 came to a dramatic end, and was a moving counterblast to the glorification of war. It questioned who is ‘mad’ – the warmongers or the peacemakers? It presented a tale of hope not hatred, and that in a shattered world, it is women who pick up the pieces, and rebuild. 

The play previewed on the old asylum site at Whittingham and Goosnargh Sports & Social Club on 24th October 2018, with performances at St Peter’s Art Centre in Preston and The Casa in Liverpool.

Whittingham 1918 was delivered in partnership with Lancashire Archives, the University of Central Lancashire and UNISON, under the direction of Terence Mann, Course Leader of UCLan’s BA (Hons) Acting course, who worked with a mix of professional actors and final year drama students from the university.

Whittingham 1918 – an audio recording of an extract from the final scene of the play highlighting what became of the characters; some of whom remained at Whittingham for the rest of their lives.

Cast

Duncan Butcher – Dr. Giovanni Francisco

Tom Hardman – Dr. A R Scott

Julia Rounthwaite – Matron Margaret Stubbins

Emily Salter – Sister Edith Young

Matt Robair – Richard Levenstien

Dan Brazier – William Craston

Rachel Howard – Hepzibah Turner

Lily Almond – Mary Alston

Chris Laudrum – John Law Coop

Katie Trafford – Catherine Conway (Josephine)

Alex Ross – Napoleon Roy 

Direction & Sound Design – Terence Mann (Chapman)

Lighting & Stage Management – Jimmy Earlam