Pitcairn. Richard Bean
years ago, on the last day of August 2004, this familiar scene unfolded. The longboats aligned themselves against the side of the ship and a rope ladder was thrown down from the deck. The men scrambled on board and began to lower the cargo over the side, taking care in the pitching open sea. But among the regular goods – sacks of flour, drums of cooking oil, boxes of basic medical supplies, barrels of fuel – was a large consignment of high wire fencing and massive steel gates. The wire fencing and steel gates were for a new development on this remote outcrop. Pitcairn was building a prison.
Seven Pitcairners – almost two-thirds of the men on the island – were on trial for sexual offences ranging from gross indecency and indecent assault to rape. The accused - Jay Warren, Dennis Christian, Len Brown, Terry Young, Dave Brown, Steve Christian and Randy Christian - faced 96 charges between them. All were against children. (Jay Warren was acquitted.) Some argued that it was their hybrid Polynesian heritage that allowed them to have underage sex, even though there is no evidence that this was the case. Since then, more Pitcairners have been charged and found guilty. Four police officers are now permanently posted on the island. Pitcairn has become the most heavily policed community in the world.
The guilty men have to be let out of their newly-built prison to man the longboats when a ship calls, and clamber up the rope ladder. There wouldn’t be enough capable men otherwise. As each ship raises their anchor for the world beyond, the islanders bid farewell from the longboat with a rousing sea shanty. Callers have reported hearing it for over a century. Strong voiced above the pounding swell, they sing the Goodbye Song. They wave to those high above on deck – ‘We part but hope to meet again – goodbye, goodbye, goodbye.’ At this last line, the ropes are cast off and the longboat turns towards Pitcairn, filled with a handful of fallible human beings, imprisoned by the ocean, bound by their past.
Dea Birkett is author of Serpent in Paradise, about her time on Pitcairn Island.
Out of Joint, Chichester Festival Theatre and Shakespeare’s Globe present
PITCAIRN
a play by Richard Bean
Touring 2014
22 August – 20 September
Chichester Festival Theatre
22 September – 11 October
Shakespeare’s Globe
14 – 18 October
Plymouth Theatre Royal
21 – 24 October
Warwick Arts Centre
28 October – 1 November
Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford
4 – 8 November
Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne
11 – 15 November
Oxford Playhouse
18 – 22 November
Malvern Theatres
PRODUCTION CREDITS
| Lois Chimimba | Te Lahu |
| Samuel Edward-Cook | Quintal |
| Vanessa Emme | Fasto |
| Eben Figueiredo | Hiti |
| Siubhan Harrison | Mi Mitti |
| Saffron Hocking | Te’o |
| Ash Hunter | Ned Young |
| Naveed | Khan Menalee |
| Cassie Layton | Mata |
| Anna Leong Brophy | Walua |
| Tom Morley | Fletcher Christian |
| Adam Newington | John Adams |
| Henry Pettigrew | William McKoy |
| David Rubin | Oha |
| Jack Tarlton | William Brown |
Director Max Stafford-Clark
Designer Tim Shortall
Lighting Designer Johanna Town
Composer Adam Pleeth
Choreographer Orian Michaeli
Sound Designer Emma Laxton
Casting Director Gabrielle Dawes CDG
Associate Director Tim Hoare
Assistant Director Jake Smith
Production Manager Sam Paterson
Company Stage Manager Sally Hughes
Deputy Stage Manger Rebecca James
Assistant Stage Manager Lou Ballard
Costume Supervisor Brigid Guy
Props Supervisor Celia Strainge
Fight Director Jonathan Waller
Dialect Coach Richard Ryder
Re-lighter Theo Chadha
Set Construction Set-Up Scenary
Production Carpenter Steve Bush
Costume Makers Alison Kirkpatrick, Karen Stott
Mens costumes supplied by Angels
Wigs Linda McKnight
Tattoo Supervisor Lorena Paton
Production & rehearsal photography Robert Workman
Thanks to: Dea Birkett, Jeniffer Crothall and the National Maritime Museum, Rob Vinson. Richard Bean would like to thank: Max Stafford-Clark, Andy Michel and Dea Birkett.
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