Amazing Grace
The story of our own North East heroine, ‘Amazing Grace’, will be brought to the stage by two of the region’s playwrights, Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood.
Grace and her lighthouse keeper father rescued some of the passengers from the SS Forfarshire, on 7 September 1838, when it struck the notorious Harcar rocks, off the Farne Islands.
Queen Victoria sent £50 for Grace. This was administered by the Duke of Northumberland, and three bravery medals were awarded to her by three humane societies and the RNLI. After Victoria, Grace became the most well-known woman in 19th century Britain.
The play will tell the story of Grace Darling through the eyes of a modern day writer called Grace.
Trevor Wood explained, “It’s a funny, modern take on a wonderful story and will appeal to all ages. Grace was the first working class female celebrity – the Cheryl Cole of her time – and the play is a tribute to her achievement.’
The three-week north east tour will have its premier at Alnwick Playhouse on Wednesday 17, Thursday 18 and Friday 19 October, evenings, and there will be a matinee on Thursday.
I saw the article on this production on the local television news the other night and I for one wont be going out of my way to see it. I have been interested in the story of Grace Darling for many years and have read a lot of the books that have been written about Grace and the rescue. I am sad and angry as to what has been done to the original story by these two playwrights and wonder why things are not allowed to be left alone and the facts adhered to. It appears that the Grace Darling story has been given the ‘Hollywood treatment’ as the true story itself wasnt long enough to warrant that the facts be followed and therefore this trash has been churned out to ‘bring the story up to date’ !!!. In my opinion, consign this utter rubbish to where it belongs and leave the facts of the story to speak for themselves.
G.A.Gray.