Great Siege play to be 'our own Les Misérables'

"History is written by the victors, and undoubtedly the De Breaute family lost," Rob Parker said

A specially commissioned theatrical production to mark the 800th anniversary of a castle being destroyed will be performed on the site where it was torn down.

The Great Siege of 1224 – The Fall of Bedford Castle will be performed on 24 and 25 August at the town's Castle Mound.

Rob Parker, its writer and composer, said he grew up playing on the patch of land, and for all his life he had wanted "to write the story".

He hoped people would think of it as Bedford's version of Les Misérables, when a 16-year-old King Henry III marched to the town with 2,700 soldiers to bring down Falkes de Breaute, known as the Robber Baron of Bedford.

Tickets were in high demand for the four performances, to be held on 24 and 25 August

The end of the eight-week Great Siege of Bedford Castle came on 14 August 1224, when the castle was destroyed.

The theatrical adaptation tells the stories of the main players who lived in the castle, how it was lost and why Bedford has a mound without a castle on it.

"This project has been close to my heart for over 40 years," said Mr Parker.

"I grew up hearing stories of Bedford Castle and, like a lot of Bedford children, played on the Castle Mound wondering what had happened there.

"I think it’s time that story was told [after] 800 years, almost to the day."

The performance will feature acting, music and a live band

Mr Parker said he wanted to wanted to tell the tale of the De Breaute family.

"When I traced the paths of power and interest, I became convinced that Faulkes de Breute, whilst no saint, had committed the terrible sin of being a capable commoner who didn’t play political games."

The play will portray the Faulkes family, King Henry III, politicians and churchmen, and the men and boys of the siege.

The project has been two years in the making

All tickets have already been snapped up for the free event, which has been funded by Bedford Borough Council’s Town Centre Fund, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.