SUFFOLK HERITAGE REMEMBERED

A RARE SCREENING OF THE 1974 FILM ‘AKENFIELD’ & BOOK SIGNING BY THE AUTHOR

Attended and introduced by author Ronald Blythe

On September 13th Bury St Edmunds Film Society mounts a rare screening of ‘Akenfield’, the famous and now not often available film of life in the Suffolk countryside around one hundred years ago. This will take place at The Hunter Club at 2.30p.m. as part of The Open Heritage Weekend celebrations. The Society is honoured to announce that the film will be introduced by Ronald Blythe, the author of ‘Akenfield – a Portrait of an English Village’ published in 1969. The Mayor and Mayoress of St. Edmundsbury will also be present on this memorable occasion.

Sir Peter Hall had fallen in love with the book, during a train journey surrounded by Suffolk people speaking in local dialect. Scheduling most filming at weekends since he and his crew- as well as the actors – had day jobs, the film faithfully records life in deepest Suffolk between 1880 and 1966 – a time of a real revolution in life in our countryside.

Hall used local people as his actors. To make their task even more daunting they had no script. Indeed he simply relied on their individual interpretation of an eighteen page synopsis written for him by Blythe. This innovative technique of allowing actors their head –none had acted before - was ahead of its time, allowing local people to play the parts of the local pig farmers, blacksmiths, headmistresses and even the gravediggers.

Sir Peter Hall started life in a terraced house near Bury St Edmunds station, his father being the stationmaster. He went on to direct over 300 plays and at least 45 operas as well as films. He retired in 2011 and whilst he regrets that he will be unable to attend, has wished the Society well, having fond memories of Akenfield, which still connects him to his Suffolk roots. His mother explained that as a child he was a ‘rather exuberant personality’ and was ‘somewhat a risk taker’, both no doubt important in his later life!

The screening will commence at 2.30p.m. and be followed by an opportunity to buy signed copies of ‘Akenfield’ and also ‘Time By The Sea’ – the two books currently by Ronald Blyth which remain in print – for which we are indebted to Waterstones.

A LIMITED NUMBER OF SEATS WILL BE RESERVED FOR THOSE MEMBERS OF THE SOCIETY WHO HAVE PRE-BOOKED BY 10TH AUGUST AS REQUESTED IN THE EMAIL FROM HILARY SENT AT THE END OF JULY. OTHER (FREE) SEATS WILL BE FOR MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC AS PART OF THE LOCAL OPEN HERITAGE WEEKEND CELEBRATIONS.