'After the War was Over'

Saltaire increasingly seems to attract some very creative people and is quite a hot-bed of artistic and literary talent.  Hattie Townsend is a writer who has a long association with the community.  She has created characters and dramas for Salts Walks, as well as being herself one of their guides.  She has also written and directed four short productions for different events in Saltaire.  The latest of them, 'After the War was Over', was performed several times over the World Heritage Weekend.  It was scheduled to be in the North Shelter in Roberts Park, which would have added an authentic touch as the play was set in a park.  In the end, the weather forced it inside, to the Victoria Hall, though that did mean it was much easier to hear (for deaf old me!)

The play was set in Spring 1919.  The Great War had shattered people's lives but also brought new opportunities... an ambitious lady journalist is pursuing a story about a lurid local murder trial but chances upon other equally fascinating stories along the way.  The stories were based on true local events (the murder was connected with Sir James Robert's family - see my earlier post) and were researched with the help of the History Club and World War I group.

My photo shows the journalist Mrs Ada Forrester (played by Kate Breeze) in conversation with Sister Beatrice Milson (Sheila Lansdell) outside the Victoria Hall.