The drama of this play takes place near Norwich, England in 1947. Sarat Carn who has been tried and convicted of killing her brother and is sentenced to hang, is en route to Norwich with two prison Wardens after her appeal has been dismissed. They are cut off by rising flood waters and take refuge in “Our Lady of Rheims”, a Nursing Order Convent. Sister Bonaventure, in charge of the hospital is struck by the tragedy of the girl and feels empathy towards her, sensing instinctively that she is innocent. She is determined to help her.
On discovering she is an artist of some reptation she coerces her to draw the design of a damaged tapestry and enlists the help of bonny Irish Sister Josephine. Sarah is amused at the irony of the situation – not only is she stranded at a place not 15 miles from where the murder was committed, her previous housekeeper Martha Pentridge and her mentally slow son, Willy, are also refugees. Willy who has an unpreddictable temperament, harrasses people he thinks are against him, in particular Nurse Phillips, A rather stuffy staff nurse.
Into this scene enter Dr. Jeffreys who just happened to be the main witness for the prosecution and tends to feel uncomfortable and embarrassed. Mother Superior becomes concerned that Sister Bonaventure is getting too involved with Sarah’s case and orders her to destroy what evidence she has collected. As time draws near to Sarah’s departure, a quirk of fate happens to turn the tables.
Performed in September 1989 at Benalla Town Hall.
Benalla Theatre Company 