THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL

The Maskers presented The Scarlet Pimpernel, in the grounds of Mottisfont Abbey from Wednesday 16th July 2003 to Saturday 26th July 2003(except Monday 21st July). Alec Walters directed the show and we played to almost full houses on each of the 10 evenings of the production. The Scarlet Pimpernel was wriiten by Baroness Orczy and adapted by Beverly Cross.

"Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité, sinon, La Mort"

The play takes place in 1792 when ground was being set for the establishment of a Republic in France and the removal of any enemies of "the people". From 1789, when they stormed the Bastille (in what was more of a symbolic action than a bid to free the prisoners, for there were only seven at the time!), revolution was seen by "the mob" as a means of revenge against the hated nobility (many of whom had fled to England) and the absolute power of the monarchy. While the nobles and clergy enjoyed power and privilege, the majority of the people paid most of the taxes and had virtually no say in running the country. Social injustice and economic distress was to culminate in one of the most bloody and terrifying revolutions in the history of Western civilisation. The reign of terror began with the September massacres of 1792. The vicious slaughter continued under the leadership of Robespierre and early in the following year King Louis XVI was executed. Thousands were killed as opposition to the The Terror was crushed; even those who had masterminded the the damning of the aristocrats were not spared. The Terror ended in 1794, and in 1795 the middle class came to power under a scandalous republican government known as The Directory which was finally overthrown by Napolean in 1799.

Photographs by courtesy of Clive Weeks ( www.cwphotos.co.uk )

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