Kitty Jay (1999) told the story of a local orphan girl brought up in a poorhouse and apprenticed to a farm. She grows up struggling to love those around her, subsequently pushing even her lover away. It ends tragically when the girl takes her own life after discovering that she is pregnant. The play incorporated both music and movement in an abstract telling of the tale. It was set in a timeless present in order to strengthen the story’s mythical quality. The music and scenario was by Gillian Webster, with choreography by Ruth Way.
The Calling of Jan Coo (1999) was a musical for children based on a Dartmoor folktale. It was written by Gillian Webster (composer) and Ruth Way (choreographer). The Calling of Jan Coo was performed by local children and followed the story of a boytaken away from his mother and apprenticed to Rowbrook Farm. In his loneliness, he is lured into a river by a strange voice which promises love and security, two things which Jan lacks. The play explored group identity and human desires.
