the county High Sheriff at stones marking the limits of the quarantine. As the play evolves the audience moves from location to location and the action intensifies as the village empties. Some villagers build shacks in the hills, or live in caves, to be away from the infection. The deaths continue through the summer with hardly anyone left to bury the dead. Grass grows in the village streets. Both rectors have doubts at their actions but eventually the dying ceases and the survivors learn they have been successful with no other cases of plague occurring in the county. Some humour is included by the mad orphan boy "Bedlam" who sings and dances through the worst times and the two cantankerous old yokels Unwin and Merril. In some productions each corpse reappears in ghostly white make-up until the audience is surrounded by keening wraiths. References 1970 plays 1973 films Plays based on actual events Plays set in the 17th century Plays set in London British plays adapted into films British films based on plays British drama films 1970s British films