Theatre group to bring story of King Oswald to life in Bamburgh

Hazelsong Theatre Group will be presenting ‘King Oswald Whiteblade – The Sword and The Cross’ in Bamburgh on Saturday and Sunday, August 7-8.

The play explores King Oswald’s time in exile on Iona, his triumphant return to Bamburgh in 634AD and the start of the flourishing of the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of Northumbria.

The performance, which includes traditional music, in old English is a mingling of folklore and Celtic Christain spirituality.

The free performances will take place in St Aidan’s Church from 5.30pm, with a chance to watch a village procession and vingettes of the performances between 1pm and 2pm on both days.

Andy Bates, from Hazelsong, said: “The early 7th century in Britain was a time of turmoil, a time of warfare and shifting allegiances when pagan fought Christian, when Saxon battled Briton.

"It was a time of conflict, a time of the sword. But it was also a time of visions and wonders, when holy men and heroes bestrode the land. It was a time when history became legend, and legend became myth.

"And in this time arose a great king, one who had fled his Northumbrian home as a child and he returned as a man, bearing the blade and the cross, to fight for the peoples and the soul of the kingdom that called for his homecoming. He was Oswald, the Whiteblade.”

Bamburgh Bones is grateful to the National Lottery Heritage Fund for supporting this special commission. For more information, visit https://bamburghbones.org/visit/events/ or call 07774 943157.

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