A Time to Keep Report
By David Edgar & Stephanie Dale
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Play Synopsis
The play is set in and around Dorchester in 1804 when a Napoleonic invasion was threatened and when the militia was stationed in the town. With a view to raising morale and keeping people occupied,
it was decided to perform a play the subject of which was the trial and execution of Mary Channing who was publicly executed at the beginning of the previous century for the murder of her husband.
A Time to Keep is therefore a play within a play.
It soon becomes apparent that despite the national crisis and the sacrifices called for, a number of Dorchester's citizens are doing nicely out of the activities of a notorious band of smugglers. The excise men are hot on the smugglers' trail. One of the smugglers, Isaac Gulliver, falls in love with Mary Stickland, daughter of one of the town's foremost citizens who wishes to see her married to an insipid prig. Their love affair to some extent parallels the affair which led to Mary Channing's undoing though without quite such tragic consequences. Both have major parts in the town's play which enables them to meet and court each other without anyone suspecting their true feelings, except the prig who betrays Isaac to the authorities. Isaac is arrested but released as a result of a daring and high risk operation by the smugglers.
Meanwhile the king, George III, makes an appearance on his way
to Weymouth. On hearing that a play is to be performed he insists on seeing it and his presence helps frustrate the excise men when they try to recapture Isaac. The play ends on a wistful note with an appearance by the ghost of Mary Channing and Isaac and Mary recognizing that their love for each other will remain unfulfilled.
Public Acclaim
The play received national as well as local media attention.
It was featured in BBC's 'Front Row' and favourably reviewed in
'The Guardian' and 'The Sunday Times'. 'The Times Literary Supplement' described it as a "brilliant piece of theatre" and concluded: "the romantic leads are portrayed with understated poignancy, the contrast between the classes is bold without
resorting to caricature and the comic timing is superb. In an
age where community activity is often reduced to the solipsism
of karaoke, it is cheering to see a noble and communal art resurrected with such conviction."
Click for link to full review of the production from: The Stage ****
Report and Text
A report of the play with many production details may be downloaded from this site. Copies of the text may be purchased through the DCPA. Also available is a limited number of copies of 'The Corsican Ogre' which contains background research material.
Dorchester's Fifth Community Play
Performed at The Thomas Hardye School, Dorchester from 16th November to 1st December 2007 (12 performances). The play was
in two acts and included an interval of approximately twenty minutes. The whole performance lasted just over two hours.
Writers: Stephanie Dale & David Edgar
Director: Jon Oram
Director's Assistant: Kate McGregor
Designer: Ariane Gastambide
Music Director: Tim Laycock
Lighting: Stephane Cantin
Stage Management: Cath Hylton
Play Officer: Sarah Peterkin
The play cost approximately £73,000 to produce. The Arts Council (South West) made a grant of £29,050 and local authorities grants of £5,500. Private trusts, business sponsorship and individual donations amounted to approximately £15,000 and ticket sales to £21,000.
A separate outreach project was undertaken in order to expand community involvement. The total cost of this was about £5,500 and
was fully funded by a grant from Awards for All. Polly Sheppard was appointed outreach worker.
