This week we hand the blog over to director Andrew McPherson to get us up to speed on Act Three’s cinematic contribution to the In Common project.
Act Three has been as ambitious as ever this year, and has chosen to make two films, spotlighting spellbinding historic moments from Wimbledon & Putney Commons, and Mitcham Common.
Film 1: Black cherries
Jerry Abershaw is the hero of our first tale, Black Cherries. Jerry battles his dark night of the soul in a prison cell the evening before he is hanged for felonious shooting. He contemplates his legacy in loneliness and wants nothing more than to escape forever to his happy place on the common.
Jerry’s last meal request gives our first film its name – though he chose not to eat the fruit. Catch the premiere on July 17 to find out what he does with those black cherries instead…
Film 2: Coconut
Our second film, Coconut, celebrates the amazing work of the Suffragettes of Wimbledon and the working class women of Edwardian Mitcham.
History failed to document many stories of working class people at this time, favouring instead the Suffragettes who had the resources, time and energy to affect change for women’s rights, so we invented the hero of this film.
Cecily is a working class woman from Mitcham, who works in a paint factory while trying to keep her brother fed. She is coaxed into the movement for equality by Christabel, who not only inspires a fight for equality but a hope of love too.
A season of filmmaking
These two films are the result of a great deal of hard work and intensive research.
This Sunday, May 9, Act Three starts shooting: keep an eye on our social media for all the on set action.
And we’d like to thank all the people that have helped us on our journey so far, including all of the interviewees who volunteered their time to talk to our actors, all the museums and archvies we’ve been in touch with, and all of the wonderful people who have kindly offered locations on which to shoot this film. We are very grateful and we look forward to seeing you at our premiere at Canons House on July 17.
