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Boudicca

by Richard Webber and Ed Russell

         
Find out more about Drayton Players' Spring 2005 production, Boudicca, by clicking on the links below.
         
The Writing of Boudicca Cast and Crew Photo Gallery
         
The Writing of Boudicca
From the Boudicca programme:

It was April 2004. Hooray Henley!! had passed into history. At least we proved we could do it. But what next? Something original - with plenty of parts for our very talented teenagers. Something that would challenge, but not intimidate. Perhaps something with females as the central characters - Boadicea - that seemed promising. A week of rummaging in the archives of the Indiana University library - where else to find information on a British heroine? - unearthed valuable information:

  • Her name was certainly not Boadicea - that name was the result of medieval mis-spelling
  • The story is unrelentingly grim and depressing - perhaps not such a good idea. Difficult to work any humour into such violence and oppression.
  • But - here was the germ of the idea - what little we really knew about Boudicca is given to us by the Roman historian Tacitus. He was told the story by his father-in-law Agricola.
  • But how did Agricola know?

After commanding XX Legion in early middle-age, Agricola returned to Britain as Military Governor, arguably the best that Rome ever gave to Britain. He certainly seemed to show more humanity to the natives than most. Most interesting of all, he served a short time in Britain as a very young man - at the time that Boudicca was causing her mayhem.

With very few firm facts and a lot of legend, there was plenty of room to weave a story around Boudicca and Agricola. But would it allow for any light relief? We had a loyal and enthusiastic audience who would, if possible, like to be entertained.

A wild tribe of ancient Britons ruled by a female? Asterix-like Romans? A shambolic, ill-equipped army not quite sure where it was going? There ought to be humour here. But could we use it without destroying the impact of the story? Even now, the cast is split on this.

We will let the audience decide.

The writing now done, it was over to Ed for the music. A week later came the news that Mel Gibson's next big film project was going to be Boudicca. So much for originality. Oh well, if it's good enough for Mel, it's good enough for Drayton Players....

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Cast and Crew
The Cast   The Crew
Roman Boy Peter Boyd   Director Ed Russell
1st Roman Girl Jasmin Burnage   Musical Director Peter Selby
2nd Roman Girl Maddy Clarke   Script Richard Webber
Mother Georgia Alston   Music Ed Russell
Tacitus Prit Buttar   Lighting David Coates
Old Agricola Richard Webber   Sound Ed Russell
Servant Catherine Webber   Stage Management Anne Hall
Iceni Cheerleader Oliver Wright     Fred Stevens
Simon the Simple Dan Buttar   Scenery & Props Peter Jackson
Iceni Men The Cast     John Freeman
Combin Peter Selby   Costumes Georgia Alston
Blaggs Smith Ed Russell   Makeup Georgia Alston
Thresh Paul Martin   Publicity The Cast
King Prasutagus Jon Crowley   Poster Design Becky Webber
Prince Ammonias Harry McCarthy     Richard Wilmot
Gwinneth Clare Hosking     John Freeman
Thelma Georgia Alston   Choreography Dierdre Jones
Boudicca Jayne Henderson   Prompt Lois McGavin
Ethal Claire Stuart     David Coates
Marigold Emily Bell   Tickets Sue Stevens
Shazza Harriet Davis   Front of House Rachael Stevens
Aspa Amy McGavin     Fliss Jackson
Oda Chloe Alston   Band Ed Russell
Flossfa Lottie Buttar     Peter Selby
Iceni Women The Cast     Emily Bell
Lasivius John Freeman      
Brutus Andrew Wright      
Young Acricola Stephen Hoskins      
Yara Lindsay Dale      
Bura Lissy Clarke      
Zadack Amy McGavin      
Suetonius Paulinus Anton King      
Ucillus Steve Clarke      
Pointillus George McGavin      
Notary Peter Selby      
Agnith Jean Hager      
         
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Photo Gallery
Ed and Richard Clare Harry Jon Jon in costume Peter Georgia Lindsay and Lissy Geroff our land! Stephen and Anton
                   
                   
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