Spark in Judea
by R F Delderfield
After 50 years in the business, Hilary Sage "does not often find much to rave about in the world of amateur theatre", but this was different...
WE HAVE GOT QUITE USED to superlative concerts and excellent exhibitions in St Cyriac's, but theatre has not yet made much of an impact there - until now.
Rex Walford and his talented company brought us a most brilliant and thoughtprovoking production of a play about Pontius Pilate and the background to the better known dramas of Holy Week. The excellence of the lighting and sound effects, the detailed costumes, set and props, together with the clear, authoritative performances of the actors, all combined to produce exciting moments - as when Martin Woodruff, as Pilate, stood on the balcony symbolically washing Jesus' blood from his hands while the crowd swirled and yelled below - as well as times of great emotional intensity, as when Pilate's wife, powerfully played by Madeleine Forrester, struggled to understand the political complexities and moral uncertainties of her beloved husband. It was all thrilling, but if you missed it, you missed it, so I won't go on.
Suffice it to say that I do not often find all that much to rave about in the world of amateur theatre (after 50 years of involvement with it) but I do rave about Cameo Theatre and sincerely hope that they will come to Swaffham Prior again and that you will be there too!