The Man with No-Name, this year's Play in a Week, really started a year ago when the cast of last year asked what we would be doing this year. People from the Freewheelers, the Harbour Day Centre and SeeAbility wanted to participate again. In addition the Grange Centre at Bookham asked if one of their residents could come on placement for the week. We would have 35 actors, some experienced and some not; quite a challenge and more than we had ever had before' We also had some twelve other Nomads who were to prepared to give up most of their week to deal with ail the backstage work.
On the first Friday in August most of the cast meet for a day long brainstorming to decide just what the play would be. As in previous years almost everyone present contributed something in the development of the story. If the numbers were challenging the storyline was even more so., involving a battle between Mother Earth and her goodie followers and a mysterious Man with No-Name with supernatural powers. They both tried to impose their wills over the elements - Fire, Water, Air and Earth - giving the writer, musical director and choreogragher, Helen Louise Hughes, a difficult task. The backstage team had a whale of a time producing a volcano eruption and forest fire, everything from a breeze to hurricane, gentle sunlight to sweltering heat, mild rain to a thunderstorm and even an earthquake. It all turned out well in the end with the Man's conversion to be a goodie and general celebration.
A group of Mummers, mostly from SeeAbility, helped create the atmosphere for each scene with words,
verse, songs and movement. At the after show party the cycle began again - "What are we going to do next year?"