Armistice play at Church Steps
Nelson playwright Penny Taylor and fellow members of the award-winning Histrionics troupe are to dramatise the signing of the armistice that ended hostilities in World War I 100 years ago.
Called Armistice At Compiegne, after the French forest where the agreement was signed, the play is due to be performed three times in front of the Church Steps at Nelson as part of the Armistice Day centenary commemorations on November 11.
Taylor said the project was about two years in the making.
‘‘I thought it was important to acknowledge the end of the conflict. It was a moment in time that affected so many people across the world. The outcome of those negotiations and the peace conference that took place the following year heralded the shift towards the world economy, society and geography that we know today.’’
The audience will sit on the Church Steps to watch the play, which will take place on a replica of the railway carriage where the armistice was signed in 1918. Using a photo of the original carriage for guidance, a team from Waimea Menzshed, including Graham Fittock, Terry Garside and James Chappell, built the set over a two-week period.
Taylor said the Menzshed team had turned ‘‘our plans into reality’’. Histrionics was also grateful to Greg Olsen, of Sir Greg Theatrics at Mapua, who had supplied the uniforms.
A core cast of 16 is re-enacting events around the agreement that came into force at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month, ending the fighting between the Allies and Germany.
Taylor said there was not much information on what was said inside the carriage during the negotiations, ‘‘and we felt that in any case, that would be difficult to portray in play form’’.
‘‘So we have the delegates coming out of the railway carriage to discuss the issues from their point of view, and a group of soldiers on guard, telling a background story’’ to help provide context for the audience, she said.
The 25-minute play is due to be performed at 11.45am, 1.10pm and 2.50pm on November 11.
In the leadup to the Armistice Day commemorations, Histrionics members are presenting key points from the play in interactive sessions with pupils at several schools in the region.