Once Upon a Time in a Plague Year

Plague-ridden Tudor-era London, many of whose inhabitants have fled for the country side. A rich merchant, Sir Anthony, is lying on his deathbed, and a small group of loyal friends have decided stay by his side to the end. They include a famous plague doctor, his female assistant, a fiery-tempered young servant, who has his eyes set on the latter, and an elderly puritan lady. Will the doctor’s remedies for pestilence be enough, when they are joined by a strange beggar from the north, and other even less expected and welcome visitors? Could they, perhaps, even prove too effective?

Once Upon a Time in a Plague Year is freely based on two scenes in Dialogue Against the Fever Pestilence (1564), a collection of "Merry tales -- pills to purge melancholy at plague time", by William Bullein, an Elizabethan physician, whose other known works are medical treatises. It aims to bring the Mediaeval tradition of morality play alive on stage, and make it entertaining for a modern audience.

Written by William Bullein

Adapted and directed by Alpo Honkapohja / Thespians Anonymous

Cast

Roger: Aapo Rautiainen
The First Old Lady: Anna Rämö
The Second Old Lady: Katja Tiilikka
The Beggar: Pawel Blaszczyk
Doctor Burcot: Jussi Kajala
Sir Anthony: Ami Ganguli
Chrystina: Tatjana Kurikka (Thu 6 Nov) / Olga Kurikka (Sat 8 Nov)
The Puritan Lady: Lisamaria Markula
Avarus: Ace North
Ambodexter: Jenny Zukerman
Death: Bodil Knuts

Showtimes

19:45 Thursday 6 November
13:55 Saturday 8 November

Approximate duration 55 minutes