Story of historic 'murderer' turned into a poignant swan song for Pateley Bridge's master playwright

There was a sense of anticipation at St. Cuthbert’s Church in Pateley Bridge as the audience gathered for a new play by the renowned local playwright, Nevin Ward, writes r eviewer Andrea Ives.

Held in the church rather than Pateley Playhouse, where extensive alterations and renovations are taking place, the attractive publicity had promised us The life of the celebrated Eugene Aram of Ramsgill in Netherdale.

Few of us knew more than the bare bones of this story which cast Eugene Aram as an eighteenth century murderer, but Nevin Ward was able to flesh out the intriguing tale in his own inimitable style.

The story proved to be complex; the play had a cast of 43 characters and a total of 18 actors of the highest calibre as well as superlative musicians.

The wardrobe department must also be praised for their planning and ingenuity.

The music was, as always in Nevin’s plays, a strong backbone of the production: Steve Rouse on melodeon, e-melodeon, fiddle and harmonica, Nevin himself playing guitar and slide guitar, Heather Appleton on fiddle and Carol Bailey.

The eponymous hero, Eugene Aram, was played in turn by three different actors, his wife by two, with effectively handled transitions.

Nevin Ward had written his play after extensive research, broadly following this much documented story and interpreting contemporary historical accounts.

We were taken through the story of Eugene Aram’s life: from his birth in Ramsgill, Nidderdale, to the young boy at Newby Hall (where his father was the head gardener), through young adulthood and on to his final years.

Eugene Aram was a self-educated genius with a deep interest in languages, his reputation grew as years went by.

When the character, in his second iteration, Eugene Aram married his sweetheart Anna Spence in Middlesmoor church, our own vicar played the part of the Welsh vicar and led us in the singing of a hymn which echoed beautifully round the church.

Unfortunately, the marriage eventually failed; the characters literally changed before our eyes and Eugene felt it necessary to move to Knaresborough in the vain hope of saving his marriage.

It was at the Barrel Inn Knaresborough that Aram met the men who, much later, proved to be his nemesis: Henry Terry, an ale-draper, Richard Houseman, a flax-dresser and Daniel Clark, a shoemaker.

When the latter seemed to vanish after being advised by Eugene Aram to fraudulently acquire goods from local traders, the disappearance remained a mystery.

Many years later, when bones were found in two locations in Knaresborough, suspicion fell on Terry, Houseman and Aram.

They were assumed to be the bones of Daniel Clark and the three suspects were brought to trial.

The justice system of the time was inefficient if not corrupt and, while Terry and Houseman had their cases dismissed, Eugene Aram was found guilty, taken to the Knavesmire and executed.

All through the play we were informed, educated and subtly encouraged to compare the 18th century with our own times: flourishing trade with Europe, the election system, road travel and the justice system.

It was a most beautiful and poignant swan song for a master playwright.

Congratulations to Nevin and his wonderful team.

And what a triumph for the Pateley Bridge Playhouse.