An angry black man takes his frustrations to the country, to commune with nature.
This short play – of voices in verse, is witness to that communion. Sensing his arrival in the field are the wary Ewes, who report to the Oak, on the thoughts and feelings the man brings from the city and life under lockdown in Britain. The encounter takes place on a cliff above the Wye, by Chepstow Racecourse, on Piercefield Park. There the angry man vents his honest feelings about his heart-break, and questions the meaning of being human in 2020. His vision for humanity is not promising. A living-dead Oak tree and, of course, the Ewes – prompt the man to see things differently.
Free Country (A Bardic Tale) was written and produced by Rob Mitchell as part of the Wye Valley River Festival (re-imagined) in 2020. Thanks to Deasy, Phill and Desperate Men for curating and co-producing – and Shawn and Louise for the midwifery.
Download Transcription Here: Free Country (A Bardic Tale) Transcript
Rob Mitchell is a Creative Media producer and spoken word artist. He is co-founder of media education and production company, Firstborn Creatives and a graduate in Theatre, Film and television from Bristol in 1993. Rob is of African-Caribbean heritage, born in England and raised in Little England (Barbados) during formative years, embracing the English language and enjoying the bounce of spoken word and sound. He works with the word exploring mainly philosophy, identity and ‘race’.
robbymitch.wordpress.com
www.vimeo.com/firstbornstudios
www.themayorsracefilm.com