‘Sylvia’ amidst the 1549 rebels under the ‘Oak of Reformation’ – Photo © Julian Swainson 2022

 

This afternoon I pottered up to the Gilman Road approach to Mousehold Heath, where I enjoyed a rather unusual experience. For an hour or so I became part of Kett’s Rebellion in 1549.

Fortuitously I emerged unscathed, unlike many of the poor working people who had risen up against their oppressors under the leadership of Robert Kett. We had been transported to 1549 by a clever bit of theatrical production by Limbik, an innovative company who borrow technology from other fields to give a new performance experience. The action starts at the top of the parking area, where if you push between a few trees you find a little tent where you are handed a set of ‘silent disco’ headphones, which both guide our walk around the Heath and give us some very lifelike sound pictures of events.

Three actors in modern clothing are joined by a group of the lumpen proletariat of 1549, with bodies and oversize heads all covered with course sacking. A simple device which works well. We walk around the Heath as the atmosphere of the rebel camp is recreated, where some 16,000 dispossessed folk created a new and co-operative form of society. It is hard to be accurate, but it is likely that the places we walked, the atmospheric paths, dips and hollows, were indeed the venue for the original camp.

The timing of the event is serendipitous as we currently swim against a syrupy tide of monarchism, reminding us that the King of the time (Edward VI) used violence and hired foreign mercenaries to suppress people who wanted simply to assert their historic rights to common land and a sustainable life, in the face of a rich elite who enclosed and stole commons and enslaved working people. Couldn’t happen now could it? Oh.

The three contemporary characters, Bernard, Hazel, and Sylvia, set a context of modern stress pressures which contrast and compare with the vexations of the rebels, and do make us wonder whether we have really made any progress towards being free citizens. Where once the loss of grazing land was the issue now it may be homelessness or poor health care. These little vignettes of modern mischance work well and help to keep us interested as we walk around the Heath catching up with the rebel commoners.

A real bonus is that this show also takes us on a rather nice walk around the Heath which is pleasant and not too demanding for slower walkers like me. The technical stuff works flawlessly, with the added bonus of startling a few dog walkers who suddenly encounter a zombie army of headphone wearing theatregoers!

Kett’s Rebellion has been covered by some other excellent open air theatrical groups recently, such as the Common Lot, but this Limbik version gives a fresh new approach which is most enjoyable. The audience were aged from six months to sixty plus, and all seemed to enjoy the event. The headphones are essential so make sure you prebook so you can take part in this delightful and informative performance by a skilful cast and crew. At the end you can swap tales with them over a warming cuppa when we get back to the rebel base.

Read more in the Norwich Eye preview here: https://norwicheye.co.uk/whats-on/limbik-on-the-heath-new-theatre-in-norwich/

© Julian Swainson, Norwich Eye, 17 September 2022

Tickets for this unique event can be booked via Norwich Theatre at norwichtheatre.org/whats-on or via the box office on 01603 630 000.

Listing:
Saturday 17th, Sunday 18th, Saturday 24th, Saturday 25th September
Saturday 1st and Sunday 2nd October at 2pm and 5pm each day