A play to be performed this week at the Dugdale Centre traces the lives of two notable women from Edmonton - one thought to be a witch, the other a saint.
Calling it a "play" doesn't really do it justice - The Determined and the Damned includes especially written lyrics, a live band, films clips and animation.
Local theatre group InterACTion has assembled a cast of 25 people to present the two lives. Three different actors play the "witch", three more the "saint". Reflecting Edmonton itself, the cast is made of people of all ages, colours, faiths and abilities. The InterACTion group is run by FaceFront Inclusive Theatre.
These days, in England at least, witches are associated with fun - a bit scary perhaps, but something not to be taken too seriously. But not so long ago the idea of witches was taken very seriously indeed by some people, and a woman thought to be a witch might be in great peril.
One of the most celebrated local "witches" was Elizabeth Sawyer, the "Witch of Edmonton", who was hanged at Tyburn (Marble Arch) in 1621. She was found guilty of using her "potions" to kill a neighbour. She was tortured and eventually confessed to killing many people "with the help of the devil".
Anne - one of the actresses playing Elizabeth - points out that she was labelled a witch because she was "different, alien, unusual":
"When I came to live in the area in 1959 my family was considered to be all these things and it was very lonely. Being different gives us all the opportunity to benefit from our differences, change and enrich our lives."
The second Edmonton woman celebrated by the show was Gladys Aylward. Gladys was a dyslexic parlour maid who wanted to travel to China as a Christian missionary but was turned down by the church because of her lowly background so decided to go anyway in 1932.
The play charts her difficult solo journey and Annie Smol, Artistic Director of FaceFront, says: "When she got there she learnt Chinese, quelled a prison riot, saved 100 orphans and was a foot binding inspector and helped a lot of women. What she achieved and her strength of will is really inspirational.
"It definitely inspired our members who are from all different religions."
She adds: "A lot of our work is about understanding other people and supporting each other."
The Determined and the Damned is on Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 October at 1pm and 7.45pm at the Dugdale Centre.
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