Drama St Mary’s Explore the Life of Genius James Henry Pullen

Drama and Applied Theatre students at St Mary’s University College, Twickenham are set to tell the rarely told story of James Henry Pullen, known as the Genius of Earlswood over three performances at the Normansfield Theatre in Hampton Wick this December. Born in 1835 with savant syndrome, Pullen was a patient of the Earlswood Asylum near Redhill for more than 60 years, but was also one of the most remarkable artists of his time. His work is now displayed underneath the theatre at the Langdon Down Museum of Learning Disability. The show has been created by the students in the style of a Victorian Music Hall and will use song, sketches and jokes old and new to transport the audience somewhat irreverently back in time. The Normansfield Theatre was, itself, especially commissioned by the eminent Victorian Doctor John Langdon Down to help with the rehabilitation of his patients and it’s fitting that Applied Theatre students have the opportunity to tell this story in what is arguably the very first purpose built applied theatre in London. Drama St Mary’s Programme Director Mark Griffin said, “We have been using the beautiful Normansfield Theatre at the Langdon Down Centre as a rehearsal space for the last two years, so it is very exciting to finally explore the story of the theatre we are working in, and to find a new way to tell this inspiring story.” The show runs from Sunday 1^st to Tuesday 3^rd December with performances at 7.30pm. Tickets cost £8 or £5 for concessions and can be purchased from the Drama St Mary’s box office, the Langdon Down Centre and online.