Caritas

Caritas (1981), a little-known play by British playwright Arnold Wesker (born 1932) about an anchoress, one of those religious fanatics in the Middle Ages who had themselves walled up alone in a cell, attached to a church, in order to devote their lives to self-mortification and prayer. The chief character of Wesker’s Caritas is one, Christine Carpenter, who became an anchoress in 1329 in a Surrey village. Wesker places her in 1377 in Norfolk for dramatic purposes.

Published by Jonathan Cape, 1981.

Presented by the University of the Orange Free State at the National Arts Festival Student Drama, 1983, directed by Adéle Fouché; set design, lighting and company manager Nico Luwes, set built by Francois Venter, stage manager Vanessa Rudman. Cast: Pamela Engelbrecht, Johan Myburg, Clive Chamberlin, Marius Meyer, Mareé Fouché, Beverly Groenewald, Vanessa Rudman, Ian Rhind, Jan Horn.