“Witch hunting was a cruel, relentless practice that put innocent people in a perilous existence."
Image Credit: SUBMITTED/Tempest Theatre & Film Society
October 26, 2023 - 10:32 AM
Women who have been accused of witchery are going to try and clear their names while on trial in Penticton this week.
Most people don’t take witchcraft too seriously anymore, but during the 15th Century some folks were burned at the stake because of it.
Those accused of sorcery are often characterized as over-simplified caricatures, but they were real people.
The Tempest Theatre will be telling their stories through the play Malleus Maleficarum: Hammer of Witches which opens tonight.
“As we approach Halloween our store shelves and window decorations are festooned with the rubber faces of wart-nosed crones,” playwright and director Kate Twa said.
“Who were the people that inspired these icons? Why are witches feared and reviled? Thanks to meticulous research and analysis by Vanessa Yaremchuk, we’ve been able to uncover some insightful truths from court documents and subsequent critical commentary about those who were named as witches, and those who were doing the naming.”
Protagonists featured in Malleus Maleficarum include Joan of Arc, the Wyrd Sisters from MacBeth, Abigail Williams from the Crucible, and an outspoken 15th Century housewife.
The antagonist is a charismatic witch hunter who believes in upholding the Malleus Maleficarum – a sadistic instruction manual for detecting, prosecuting, torturing, and often executing those accused of witchcraft.
The cast includes local and Vancouver talent – Mae Glerum, Colter McLean, Moon Makepeace, Juliette Vallée, Kyler Sahlmark, Troë Weston and Edward Foy.
“Early on we put out a call for a cauldron on social media, and we were staggered to find a robust response with a range of options,” producer Jennifer Vincent said.
“It is a wonderful way to meet people and get better connected into the community and now we have use of a beautiful cast iron post that is 2.5 feet in diameter. It was something used regularly in this family’s history to feed ranch hands so it comes with a lovely story.”
The show runs from Oct. 26 to 29 at the Tempest Theatre. Tickets are $30 or $25 for the theatre’s patron supporters. Doors open at 7 p.m. each night. Tickets can be purchased online at: tempest.ca/on-stage.
— This story was originally published by the Penticton Herald.
News from © iNFOnews, 2023