Pride
Written by Naomi Denny and Rohan Gotobed
Director - Rohan Gotobed
Composer and Sound Designer - Freddie Lewis
Producer - Olivia Tetlow
William John Bankes - Neil James
Anne Banks - Melody Fisher
George Banks / Seymour - Jamie Lee-Hill
Sarah - India Murray
From July 2023:
Dorsetborn, Kingston Lacy
In 1841, William John Bankes was forced into exile due to his homosexuality, at a time when it was a crime still punishable by death. He would never return to Kingston Lacy, his home in Dorset, where William John had spent years cultivating one of the country’s most exciting and eccentric collections of art and artefacts.
But what if he did? Just for one night?
Commissioned by the National Trust and produced by Dorsetborn, Pride is an immersive audio drama that invites visitors to rediscover William John’s tragic story and see the house through his eyes.
'This house, William. It means something different to
everyone. It means I am never truly alone.'
New Stour & Avon Magazine
Dorset View
Elaine Chapman
“A tour-de force… Each scene was pacy, with convincing characters and punctuated with facts that never felt shoehorned in.
It’s a fun way to explore our famously stately pile at your own pace, with insights into the lavish contents as well as the complex and eccentric William John Bankes himself.”
"This audio drama adds so much to the visitor experience, and I would urge people to take advantage of it.”
"The depth of research and care that has gone into this 45-minute audio tour is a credit to the theatre company, adding another depth to the tapestry of Kingston Lacy’s history.”