Buried

This new play, another from the collection directed and specially written by Magna’s own Betty Morris, is a dramatisation of a true story which happened in Hereford in December 1954.

A young man named Derek Saville disappeared and was never seen again. A wide search and following 1000 statements the police verdict was ‘Missing- Presumed Dead’. To add to the uniqueness of this play, the niece of Derek Saville, Sarah Jenkins, is a member of Magna and it was Sarah who brought attention to the story and further research was conducted resulting in this production. Some of the characters are real people and some are fictional, but they have been made as relevant to the era and the story as possible.

Whilst the fixed set was simple, consisting of  8 chairs and two side tables, an atmospheric opening is created with some music (Mr Sandman) adding an air of mystery. In the opening scene Sarah herself describes the real situation and how she hopes to fulfil her Uncle’s memory. One chair faces the audience at which the lead characters set the scene still further.

I was impressed how the whole cast  brought reality to the story, most playing several roles. In particular Derek’s intended ‘Ivy’, played by Laura Gwynne, who also doubled as Derek’s landlady, two quite different roles played with great poise. You felt Ivy’s despair at Derek’s disappearance and his landlady was quite a character.

David Jones was another with two completely different roles well played; the police inspector who interviewed many of the family albeit somewhat frustrated at the lack of progress and Ivy’s dubious ex boy-friend, who could have been the number one suspect.   As the ex boy-friend, his scene with Ivy in Act 2 was particularly well played.

Paul Oliver also had several roles but I particularly liked him as the ‘Vicar’. Derek’s sister (Hilary Jones) spoke of her last night in Derek’s company and handled the emotion well.  ‘Mrs Lewis’ the village matriarch (Betty Morris) spoke with great authority and pulled the story towards its close. Others giving good support were Sarah Jenkins ( Lily / Derek’s Mother) Dan Hoskins (Mr Evans / Constable), Stephanie Ellis (Ivy’s Mum), Amy Yemm (WPC Davies – who made a good cup of tea) and  three young girls (Amelia Pietraszewska, Layla Whitefoot & Lizzie Whent) who shared their tale of other mysterious happenings. 

There was a  moving moment at the end of the play when what appeared to be the covered shape of a body was symbolically buried, although in reality this outcome is not known. Poignantly we are reminded in the final line of the play to  ‘never let his memory be buried’ .

Congratulations to all involved with this unique production.

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