"This Evil Thing" - Play about WWI Conscientious Objection - on the Ladder

January 1916. Bertrand Russell is one of the greatest mathematicians of his time. Bert Brocklesby is a young schoolteacher and Methodist preacher. When military conscription is brought in, their worlds are turned upside down.

THIS EVIL THING is the compelling and inspiring story of the men who said no to war. From a chapel in Yorkshire to the House of Commons, from a cell in Richmond Castle to a firing squad in France, the questions raised here are as relevant and urgent as they were 100 years ago.

Michael Mears, ‘the award-winning master of the one-man show’ (The List) portrays conscientious objectors and a host of other characters with breath-taking physical and vocal dexterity, in this highly original piece of storytelling – partly using verbatim testimonies, while interacting with a multi-layered sound landscape and vivid visual imagery.

Michael’s previous solo plays – Soup, about homelessness, and Tomorrow We Do The Sky – won critical acclaim and a Scotsman Fringe First Award.

He has also written and performed five specially commissioned solo plays for BBC Radio 4.

www.facebook.com/thisevilthing

Members of Haringey First World War Peace Forum will be on hand to provide information about Haringey’s own 350 conscientious objectors of the First World War, and to introduce the programme of events planned for their new project ‘Conscientious Objection Remembered’.

As this event is part-funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, there will be a collection on the night to cover additional expenses, including a donation to the hosts at the church, the London Catholic Worker community, for their work with refugees

Website for First World War Peace Forum: conscientiousobjectionremembered.wordpress.com