SILENCE ON STAGE

A BUNCH of hairy and battle-hardened Cumbrian Vikings have lent their support to the production of a funny and challenging play produced at Keswick's Theatre by the Lake as part of its summer season.

Juicy Couture Handbags

Silence by Moira Buffini, now playing in the Studio, is set, in part, in 10th Century Cumbria when the region was still ruled by Vikings.

Modern Cumbria has Herlid ("War Force"), its own horde of Norse invaders who specialise in re-enacting battles from precisely the period in which the action of the play happens.

They were the obvious people to contact when the Theatre by the Lake team wanted some advice to make the production as authentic as possible.

The Herlid men have a fearsome reputation for their battle skills but readily agreed to pose for a publicity shot with actor Vanessa Johnson, who plays a Viking Lord of Cumbria, in Silence. Four of them stood, in authentic helmets and chainmail and carrying fearsome weapons, howling at the photographer. In a quieter moment, they gave crucial advice to Elizabeth Wright, who designed the sets and costumes for the production.

"When the group changed into their Viking clothes for the photoshoot, I watched them put on their different layers, which was very useful because so much dressing and undressing goes on in the play," she said.

"I asked their authenticity officer about fabrics and in particular the braid that trims the replica omega watches edges of their over-tunics. It turns out that they weave the braid themselves on inkle looms, which was the traditional way to make them. We didn't go so far as to weave all our own braids for the production but we made sure we found braids that looked as if they could have been woven." Elizabeth used woven silks for some costumes. "The Herlid Vikings influenced our choice of colours. In the picture used for publicity, one is jimmy choo wearing a shade of yellow that I borrowed for Silence's costume. It was a great help to be able to see textures close up, something you cannot do with a picture in a book."

Silence is showing in Theatre by the Lake's Studio until Saturday, November 6, and tickets cost pounds 16 and pounds 10, with discounts available.

SEND THEATRE LISTINGS TO

Replica Watches
Replica Watches