The Ghostly Play Performed in a Coventry Graveyard
Family, loyalty, and betrayal all intertwine in the Gothic Victorian show MORTAL.
Dr Hunter is confronted by Digger and Bloodhound. Image Credit: Andrew Moore / EGO Arts
What frightens you most – the living or the dead? In the horrifying Victorian thriller MORTAL, the answer might not be clear cut until the very end.
Is the House of God really safe? Image Credit: Andrew Moore / EGO Arts
A blanket of fog surrounded London Road Cemetery’s carriage gate as an audience were transported back to 1885, where we join Dr Cornelius Hunter and his wife Emily as they become embroiled in the turmoil of a struggle between two rival gangs – the body-snatching Crows and the respectable Perkins family undertakers.
“It really is unsettling being in the cemetery at night.”
MORTAL is a truly unique show being put on by the Coventry production company EGOArts, utilising the historic London Road Cemetery as its set, with candles lining the dark paths and characters appearing from behind tombstones. It takes you on a winding route through the graves, and history, of London Road Cemetery.
Francis Stojsavljevic, who played the gang leader Jeremiah Crow said: “I'm excited for audiences to experience the outdoor section. It really is unsettling being in the cemetery at night, especially if you're not familiar with the layout, and I know people will naturally be on their guard. And there are lots of twists and turns once the audience are seated in the chapel - you'll have to wait and see!”
Twists and turns indeed played a huge part in the play, the grisly and gory intertwine with strong acting and a memorable ensemble cast. Victorian crime, experimental medicine, and the ghosts of the past all show their heads – whether the play’s characters want it to or not.
Dark subject matter, dark story, and dark set, the play has been a challenge to put on, but figuring out the logistics has been worth it.
“At night, the cemetery is pitch black, so it's been a challenge to light, both to maintain an eerie atmosphere and help audiences navigate around safely. We're working with lighting designer Joseph Hornsby who has done an excellent job lighting the outdoor locations and the interior of the Anglican chapel”, said Francis.
Outside the chapel. Image Credit: Andrew Moore / EGO Arts
But what’s the historical basis for this play? The London Road Cemetery is one of the best-preserved Victorian graveyards in Britain, designed in 1843 by Joseph Paxton, who is best known for designing the Crystal Palace. Its first graves were dug in 1847. It was an early garden cemetery, not attached to a particular denomination, which was revolutionary in a time of exploding populations and the increasing secularisation of society.
The entire play is steeped in history. Dr Hunter began his journey outside the Nonconformist Chapel, where some of the graveyard’s earliest burials were conducted, and ended a winding journey between tombs and gravestones at the Grade II listed Anglican Chapel. The dimly-lit chapel came complete with a period-accurate bier, a trolley which was used to transport dead bodies, something that was a common sight in disease-riddled Victorian cities.
“The location spoke for itself”
Francis said: “We were approached by Historic Coventry Trust to produce an original production for London Road Cemetery and jumped at the opportunity. Although we have our own venue in the city centre, we're now basing productions in much bigger locations across Coventry”.
“It was an instant yes!”, he continued.
The production was devised by the cast, and has taken almost a year to fully realise, and to get that perfect Halloween feel.
Francis said: “We experimented with ghosts and zombies, but ultimately realised that the location spoke for itself - just walk around that place at night, and you'll be spooked! So we decided to tell a gritty, violent tale that might actually have happened, set in the Victorian criminal underworld.”
“It takes a lot of teamwork.”
Theatre can be not only an important creative outlet, but great for your individual wellbeing. Many people have gotten into acting due to these benefits. Student Daniel Bedford said: “My experience [acting] impacted me in a positive way I would say. It helped me develop so many communication skills, and I felt more able to be myself because of it. It definitely helps with meeting new people and getting to devise creatively”.
“It takes a lot of teamwork to make something coherent and good for audiences, but I would say it’s also the most rewarding”, Daniel continued.
The play has proven popular, with seats selling out on every day, including Halloween night, though whether audiences can handle the thrills and scares on such a spooky night is still up in the air.
