Guy Fawkes celebration seen as a study of love and loss in moving new play.

Written and performed solo by Heather Leech, Guy Fawkes Mother is a compelling piece of theatre which brings a fresh and very human perspective to the tradition of Guy Fawkes Night.
Heather Leech as Guy Fawkes Mother SUS-180208-100733001Heather Leech as Guy Fawkes Mother SUS-180208-100733001
Heather Leech as Guy Fawkes Mother SUS-180208-100733001

The performance opens with the mother of Guy Fawkes, sitting before a Christmas fire in York with no appetite for seasonal celebration as she reflects on the torture and death of her son.

We understand that while, for many, Guy Fawkes Night is a celebration, there is also a mother who is left grieving for the loss of her son.

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The past comes adrift from the anchor of history, re-explored, re-invigorated and made relevant for today.

The past relies on strong voices to summon it and Heather confidently evokes that voice, creates a real presence from the past that we can believe in.

Her voice contains authority and conviction that crosses time periods so the past melts into the present.

We are transported to a place in history, which at first feels unfamiliar, then flickers into life as we quickly come to understand that the human condition transcends history and time. Love and loss are eternal.

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It was somehow fitting that the woman who wrote and performed this fine piece of work also happens to be the current chairman of Hastings Borough Bonfire Society.

The intimate setting of the Electric Palace cinema was perfect for the performance, which was part of the highly successful Hastings Fringe Festival.

By Andrew Hemsley. Picture by Andrew Clifton.

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