STRANGE things have been happening. Crabs have gathered en masse where they never do and had to be taken back to the sea, an unusually large bird has been seen, both things causing consternation in a little village.

This is the latest short play from the pen of local writer Peter Hamilton. An adaptation of a story by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, “The Very Old Man With Enormous Wings” tells of the arrival of a strange refugee in a village near the sea.

He is examined, poked, prodded, eventually given some water and later, food. The villagers become protective when an immigration officer arrives, a complete turnaround from when the old man arrived.

The suspicious villagers gradually come to accept and love his quiet dignity, fighting the forces of officialdom to protect their “refugee”.

Slowly he recovers, his wings get stronger until one day the villagers watch this large bird fly away, getting smaller and smaller in the sky, their little miracle of wonder.

This production, staged in Crediton Town Square at the end of August was mounted by Crediton Arts Centre in tribute to its writer and creator, Peter Hamilton, who died peacefully at home with his family on August 25, just four days earlier.

In its programme for the play, the Arts Centre had said that followed on from the news of the death of another Crediton cultural icon, Rod Brookes Hocking, the previous weekend.

The programme added that Peter and Rod were old friends and comrades-in-arms in creating the cultural landscape and creative life of Crediton.

“Much of what makes Crediton what it is and has been for the last 40 years - from the Arts Centre to the creation of the Town Square, Christmas in Crediton, Flag Project, Town Team, the benches you are sitting on, the beautiful stained-glass panels around the town, Brown Paper Bag, Shakespeare in the Square and so much more – is down to these two huge personalities.

“Their energy, ideas, determination, drive and vision has shaped what our town looks and feels like today.

“We think that they would both love the fact that you are watching Peter’s last play in their Square while sitting on Rod’s benches,” it said.

There were two shows, music in between provided by Alex Hodges and Joe Cookson, Ian “Slide” Edgar and Etchechuria. Both shows were well supported.

Taking part were Clifford Bader, Roger Werner, Beth Robson, Kate Gigg, Glen Chudley, Lindy Yellowlees, Nell Hodgson, Julian Wild, Stu Wight, Lesley Wild and Laura Conyngham.

Songs were by Beth Robson, Jack Robson and Peter Hamilton. It was directed by Jack Robson.

Sue Read