Nicholas Owen: Builder of Secret Places:
A Ten-Minute Biographical Play
Peggie Chan (Illustrator)
William R. Kinman (Editor)
ASIN B01A0EYDXU 1st Edition
ASIN B01CLY0QO2 2nd Edition
I picked this up because I stumbled across it while doing research for a different volume of Saint Nicholas Owen. There appear to be 2 different eBook editions of this play one released in 2015 and listed as 12 pages and one in 2016 and listed as 18 pages. I am not sure of the difference as I did not pick up the longer one I discovered while researching this review. This is the first volume I have read by Gay Toltl Kinman, according to Goodreads at the time of writing this review she has 148 unique works listed. Most appear to be mysteries, or travel books. This appears to be the only one focused on Catholic Themes.
The description of this volume states:
“In the late 1500s, when Elizabeth I persecuted the Catholics, Nicholas Owen built hiding places for priests in the Great Houses and Castles of the rich. He is now imprisoned awaiting his fate.”
The play starts with this information:
Characters
(2 men and 1 woman)
Nicholas Owen - 34, assistant to Father Garnet and builder of hiding places
Father Garnet - fifties, a senior Catholic priest who helps bring priests into England, and protects them while they are there
Milady - 60s, a titled and rich aristocrat and a devout Catholic
Setting
Split stage:
Cell in the Counter-in-the-Poultry prison, London
Milady’s Great House, Lancastershire
Time
In the reign of Elizabeth, 1594
Having read other works about this saint this is an intriguing little play. Without that background it might be a bit nebulous.
I found the staging and set instructions helpful. It could be uses easily to put this on as a play at school or church easily enough. But without the background I am not sure it would have much appeal. I enjoyed giving this a read.
Curiosity got the better of me and I picked up the longer edition as well. It is an updated edition, The play is broken into 5 scenes. There is more stage direction and more than a scene added. Not sure why both are still available.
Note: This book is part of a series of reviews: 2025 Catholic Reading Plan!
Books about Saint Nicholas Owen:
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