Three Heads in the Well

Three Heads in the Well was a family show which toured around ten of Essex's most picturesque sites including Hadleigh Castle and Harwich Redbout in late summer 2005.

Devised by Colchester's Mercury Theatre and based on Essex folklore and history, the show proved a popular success while helping to foster and celebrate a sense of cultural identity in the region.

Three Heads in the Well was a simple and magical Essex tale for the whole family. Two step-sisters embarked on a fantastic adventure meeting hermits, dragons, magic bushes and three golden heads that lived in a well. The show bursted with comedy, drama, music and movement.

Hundreds of families attended free workshops before the performances. These were led by professional artists who explored the play and gave participants an inspirational introduction to the themes and the characters.

The completed list of locations for the performances included the Museum of Power, Cressing Temple, Harlow Museum, Castle Park in Colchester, Saffron Walden Museum, Harwich Redoubt, Prittlewell Priory, Hadleigh Castle, Hylands House and Rayleigh Mount.

'what a useful, innovative project with a wide appeal' - The Stage

Click here to download the evaluation report for this project (85Kb)

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This unique partnership ran from 2005 to 2007, delivering a total of ten cultural tourism projects that promoted Essex and empowered people to celebrate their unique identity.