Buffalo Quaker Meeting, in collaboration with the Center on Conscience & War and Conscience Studio, will be presenting a performance of "This Evil Thing," a one-man play about Britain's First World War conscientious objectors written and performed by acclaimed British actor Michael Mears on Sunday, April 8th beginning at 2:00 pm at the Buffalo History Museum.
In "This Evil Thing," Mears portrays a wide variety of characters ranging from philosopher and mathematician Bertrand Russell and Prime Minster H. H. Asquith, to soldiers and conscientious objectors. This highly original piece of storytelling uses verbatim testimonies, a multi-layered sound landscape and vivid visual imagery.
The show premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2016, and was longlisted for Amnesty International’s Freedom of Expression award at the Festival, and was reviewed as "magnificent storytelling."
The show played a major UK tour in the autumn of 2017, in theater venues, churches, schools, a cathedral in Bristol and in several Quaker Meeting Houses. On the 100th anniversary of the US entry into World War I, the show is now touring in the US, and will be in Buffalo for one performance only.
Excerpts from a performance at the New Town Theatre during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, August 2016
Following the presentation, there will be a panel discussions featuring actor Michael Mears, Conscience and War Counselor Bill Galvin, Conscience Studio peace advocate Nadine Hoover, and local conscientious objector to war Rodney Pierce.
A $10 cash donation is suggested, with proceeds to benefit the Buffalo History Museum and actor Michael Mears.