First world war drama at Jordans
Jordans Meeting House to be the setting for a community theatre performance
Jordans Meeting House in Buckinghamshire is the setting for a community theatre performance next week that tells the story of Friends in the first world war.
‘This production is about what Quakers did during the first world war and features those who fought, conscientious objectors and the Friends Ambulance Unit (FAU), which commenced training at Jordans,’ co-author and researcher Janet Bowles told the Friend.
The event – ‘a celebration “by the people, for the people”’ – will take place on Saturday 13 September.
The play has a local slant, Janet added. Friends living in the area have relatives who were in the FAU, and conscientious objector Wilfrid Littleboy’s family live in Jordans.
‘Those taking part come from Chilterns Area Meeting and Jordans Village. No one is a professional,’ Janet said.
The performance includes music and song of the period and has been specially written by Chilterns Area Meeting member Janet and co-author and researcher Merry Rushton, a drama teacher and attender at Jordans Meeting. This is the second community theatre production the two have staged at Jordans Meeting House. The first, several years ago, was about William Penn.
‘This venture was my idea and I have spent over a year researching it. I felt that it was important to remember that war has other aspects as well as fighting and that many contributed in different ways,’ Janet said.
Accompanying the production is an exhibition on the work of the Friends Ambulance Unit. This will run from 12 to 22 September.
