Dr Claire Kennan, Bader College Research Coordinator.
In March 2023, a group of students came together to record some scenes from the play Making Moonshine! written by local resident Verily Anderson in 1957-8. Now kept safely in our archive, the play is set in ‘Swirling Castle’, a clear fictionalisation of Herstmonceux Castle.
The play features a colourful cast of characters which are believed to be based on the real life inhabitants of Herstmonceux Castle from the 1920s and 1930s. In the scenes recorded by the students we are introduced to The Kyle, owner of Swirling Castle and almost certainly based on Colonel Claude Lowther (owner of Herstmonceux Castle throughout the 1920s), the Kyle’s grandson Peter and his love interest Linnet (possibly based on the author Verily Anderson). We also meet Flavia, a society girl who is visiting and has her eyes set on Peter, and the Rector of the local parish church, Clarence Wendover (in all likelihood based on Verily Anderson’s father who was rector at All Saints Church, Herstmonceux). Key members of the Kyle’s household also make an appearance including Mrs Wendover, his housekeeper, and Padminster, his butler.
For a full discussion of the play, its origins and content, please see the article ‘Making Moonshine!’ by Dr Christian Lloyd.
To find out more about the process of turning an archival document into a radio play, please see the article ‘Making Moonshine! How an Archived Document was Brought Back to Life’ by Grace Ewart.
Act 1, Scene 1
Act 1 Scene 1 sets the scene at Swirling Castle with the arrival of a mysterious statue delivered by Bert and Sid. We meet Flavia, described as a ‘very ex-debutante,’ and Peter, grandson of the Kyle in the rose garden as they discuss the statue. At the end of the scene Padminster, the Kyle’s butler, enters to take the Lady Flavia’s luggage to her room before dinner.
Cast (in order of appearance):
Bert, delivery driver (Danae Fortin)
Sid, delivery driver (Serena Giromiletto)
Flavia, a very ‘ex-debutante’ Flapper (Ashley Miller)
Peter, grandson of The Kyle (Christina Li)
Padminster, the Kyle’s butler (Madeleine Chiapetta)
Creatives:
Dr Claire Kennan (Director & Producer)
Grace Ewart (Assistant Director & Producer)
Music Credits:
Music by: https://www.bensound.com/free-music-for-videos
License code: Q0C7J6XKF9BO792X
Act 1, Scene 3
In this scene we see the Kyle come down to the rose garden and discover the statue of Venus that Flavia has had delivered. The Kyle is delighted by the appearance of the statue as he has been searching long and hard for something to commemorate him after his death. Once he realises it belongs to Flavia, he enters negotiations about obtaining it permanently and Flavia sees her golden opportunity…
Cast (in order of appearance):
The Kyle, Owner of Swirling Castle (Leyla Boyacigil)
Mrs Wendover, the Housekeeper (Ashley Miller)
Flavia (Serena Giromiletto)
Peter (Christina Li)
Creatives:
Dr Claire Kennan (Director & Producer)
Grace Ewart (Assistant Director & Producer)
Act 1, Scene 6
Act 1, Scene 6 opens in the local parish church prior to the Kyle’s baptism. In this scene we learn that the Kyle is of ‘riper years’ and has an excessive amount of names! We also see the arrival of the Archdeacon who is horrified at the discovery of the Kyle’s statue of Venus in the church. The Kyle, on the other hand, is highly pleased by this turn of events as he believes he now has a suitable memorial for himself after death.
Cast (in order of appearance):
Peter (Rishi Thurairajah)
The Kyle (Leyla Boyacigil)
The Rector of All Saints’ Church, Clarence Wendover (Bohun Zhu)
Padminster (Madeleine Chiapetta)
Daphne (Christina Li)
Mrs Wendover (Ashley Miller)
Archdeacon (Jaime Tan)
Flavia (Serena Giromiletto)
Linnet Wendover, Daughter of the Rector and Mrs Wendover (Danae Fortin)
Creatives:
Dr Claire Kennan (Director & Producer)
Grace Ewart (Assistant Director & Producer)
Act 1, Scene 7
The final scene of Act 1 returns to the rose garden where the Kyle and his household are trying to establish how exactly the statue of Venus ended up in the church. The Kyle demands to be dressed in his baptism attire before heading ‘out into the sea’ where the rest of the household believe he has committed suicide. Fear not, this is not the end of the Kyle – he returns in disguise for Act 2!
Cast (in order of appearance):
The Kyle (Leyla Boyacigil)
Mrs Wendover (Christina Li)
The Rector (Bohun Zhu)
Archdeacon (Jaime Tan)
Linnet (Danae Fortin)
Peter (Rishi Thurairajah)
Flavia (Serena Giromiletto)
Padminster (Madeleine Chiapetta)
Creatives:
Dr Claire Kennan (Director & Producer)
Grace Ewart (Assistant Director & Producer)