London's Turbulent Son
18th June 2022Thomas Beckett's Life and Legend - a musical
The Mistress and I attended an evening open-air play in Guildhall Yard on 18 June – an informal gathering to witness ‘London’s Turbulent Son’ – a modern musical interpretation of the dramatic life of the former Patron Saint of London, Thomas Becket – and in celebration of his 900th anniversary.
Did you know: Thomas Becket was an English archbishop and martyr, famously murdered by knights of Henry II at Canterbury Cathedral? After his death, his tomb and relics became a focus for pilgrimage, and he was made a saint!
Charting Thomas’s story from the mythical meeting of his parents in the Middle East and early life on London’s Cheapside, to his meteoric rise to King Henry II’s right hand man, we followed his struggle between ambition, friendship and conscience to its tragic climax in the most shocking murder of the Middle Ages.
It was an incredible production written by Emmeline Winterbotham with Music by Vahan Salorian and performed with great energy and heart by a talented professional cast and live band, members of the City of London community and local schools.
There were a number of stalls by various Livery Crafts with displays of ancient and new craft skills.