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History at Large The Whitechapel Enquiry

devised by George Fleming Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum Lecture Theatre Friday 23rd October 1998

THE ENQUIRY Tonight we are employing the format (VERY loosely) of a Judicial Enquiry, to explore the notorious "Jack The Ripper" story. We hope that by proceeding, like a trial, through question and answer, we will be able to pass on a substantial body of fact, which might be too much for a lecture and would certainly be skimped in a play. At the end of the evening we will ask you to vote on which of our suspects, if any, you would consider sending for trial, on the available body of evidence. The voting system has been kept simple. You simply have to drop the green counter you have been given, into the appropriate, clearly marked, pot. Our small number of suspects was chosen from an astronomically huge list, by my raising the subject of this show in various licensed premises and listening to views like, "Weren't the Royal Family involved?", "It was an American - did you see the programme on Channel Four?", "I thought they'd found him - hasn't his diary been found?", etc... etc... etc... So, profound apologies to any devout "Ripperologists" whose favourite suspect has been omitted! I hope you will find this evening as serious as its grim subject deserves, though enlivened by flashes of humour. George Fleming FOR THOUGHT... "Though boys throw stones at frogs in sport, the frogs do not die in sport, but in earnest."           Plutarch We hope that tonight we will once again inform, entertain, and even, at times, amuse you, as we have done before. We hope that you will find our presentation of the evidence as fascinating as we found the research. We hope, if we succeed, that our entertainment does not lose sight of or lack pity for the five victims: Mary Ann Nichols Annie Chapman Elizabeth Stride Cathrine Eddowes Mary Jane Kelly "...who died in earnest!" CAST The Judge - Nikki Angel-Jull Counsel - George Fleming, Christian Angel-Jull Modern Witnesses The Assassin - Vickie Hill The Detective - Dave Fawcett The Ripperologist - Frogg Moody The Historian - Ian Laurence-Paramor Victorian Witnesses Sir Charles Warren - Richard Clarke Inspector Frederick Abberline - Graham Paramor Doctor George Bagster-Phillips - Nino Pelopidda Inspector John Littlechild - Joe Rooney Voices from the past Queen Victoria - Rosemary Finney Eliza Doolittle - Sue Paramor Inspector Joseph Chandler - Richard Clarke P.C. John Neil - Mike Coulson John McCarthy - Mike Coulson P.C. Edward Watkins - Ian Laurence-Paramor Louis Diemschutz - Graham Paramor CREW Stage Manager - Mike Mansfield Deputy Stage Manager - Emma McQueen Lighting - Tony Pugh, Steve Lucas Slides & Sound - Hannah Mawson, Emma McQueen Front Of House - Pat Mawson, Judith Fazakerly A SPECIAL THANKS For the kindness of Ottakar's Bookshop, New Canal, Salisbury, who have been our Box Office for the past year and without whom we would be "wasting our sweetness on the desert air!" ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Salisbury Museum for the venue B & Q for the table lamps Guilder Graphics for the photocopying TOGS and Salisbury Playhouse for the costumes Frogg Moody for his "Ripper" knowledge Salisbury Drama Association for the lighting equipment For more information about History at Large please contact us

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