Fanshawe Pioneer Village gives a hauntingly good performance
Fraud. Murder. Mistaken identities.
These are the elements that set
the scene for this year's Haunted
Village Hayrides at Fanshawe
Pioneer Village.
Each year the historic village puts on a play of sorts; tractors pull spectators around the village on large carts full of hay to various locations where scenes are played out by actors. The story is told in quick moments until all the tractors converge for the play's grand finale.
This year, The Cultured Criminal penned by local writer Robyn Israel, will be performed. Based on the true story of the Birchall-Benwell Affair, the play revolves around a couple who has recently moved from England to a farm in Oxford county in 1890. The wife, Florence, is troubled by the fact that her husband Rex seems to have a dual identity. Rex tells his fellow Oxford county residents that he is in fact Lord Birchall, a member of the English aristocracy, when he is merely a scam artist. Rex convinces a pair of his fellow Englishmen that he owns a farm in Oxford County that will make them all rich, if only they buy into his business. One flees in terror after Rex turns violent during a trip to Niagara Falls, and the other is found dead in the Blenheim swamp. The play's finale brings the audience to the Birchall's murder trial.
The actors, who are largely local London talent, vary from scene to scene, and work on alternating nights, making a solid cast list impossible. Multiple actors play the roles of Rex and Florence as multiple scenes play out simultaneously for the various tractor groups.
The best part of the Haunted Village Hayrides is the interactive element. Tour guides ride along on the hay carts, giving the audience information about the village buildings vast history. The actors interact freely with the audience, and replica newspapers are distributed during the trial.
More than just live theatre, the Haunted Village Hayrides offer a truly entertaining experience for those who brave the weather to watch the show. The plays run, rain or shine, October 21 to 23 and 27 to 29 with hour-long performances at 7, 8 and 9 p.m. on Thursday and Sunday nights and 7, 8, 9 and 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. Tickets go for $11 per person, and are more than worth the cost for the experience you will get.
So bundle up (it gets cold on the hay carts) and head on out the Fanshawe Pioneer Village's Haunted Village Hayrides. You don't want to miss this.
For more information, visit fanshawepioneervillage.ca.
Each year the historic village puts on a play of sorts; tractors pull spectators around the village on large carts full of hay to various locations where scenes are played out by actors. The story is told in quick moments until all the tractors converge for the play's grand finale.
This year, The Cultured Criminal penned by local writer Robyn Israel, will be performed. Based on the true story of the Birchall-Benwell Affair, the play revolves around a couple who has recently moved from England to a farm in Oxford county in 1890. The wife, Florence, is troubled by the fact that her husband Rex seems to have a dual identity. Rex tells his fellow Oxford county residents that he is in fact Lord Birchall, a member of the English aristocracy, when he is merely a scam artist. Rex convinces a pair of his fellow Englishmen that he owns a farm in Oxford County that will make them all rich, if only they buy into his business. One flees in terror after Rex turns violent during a trip to Niagara Falls, and the other is found dead in the Blenheim swamp. The play's finale brings the audience to the Birchall's murder trial.
The actors, who are largely local London talent, vary from scene to scene, and work on alternating nights, making a solid cast list impossible. Multiple actors play the roles of Rex and Florence as multiple scenes play out simultaneously for the various tractor groups.
The best part of the Haunted Village Hayrides is the interactive element. Tour guides ride along on the hay carts, giving the audience information about the village buildings vast history. The actors interact freely with the audience, and replica newspapers are distributed during the trial.
More than just live theatre, the Haunted Village Hayrides offer a truly entertaining experience for those who brave the weather to watch the show. The plays run, rain or shine, October 21 to 23 and 27 to 29 with hour-long performances at 7, 8 and 9 p.m. on Thursday and Sunday nights and 7, 8, 9 and 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights. Tickets go for $11 per person, and are more than worth the cost for the experience you will get.
So bundle up (it gets cold on the hay carts) and head on out the Fanshawe Pioneer Village's Haunted Village Hayrides. You don't want to miss this.
For more information, visit fanshawepioneervillage.ca.
