WHATEVER HAPPENED TO TOM O' BEDLAM?

In early modern Britain the ‘idiotic’ or ‘lunatic’ were cared for, by their families. Those who had no family often became vagrant lunatics, seen as pitiable but entertaining. Over time, ragged wanderers, known as Tom O’ Bedlam’s, played up to the part developing a costume ‘madly decked and dressed all over in ribbons and feathers.’

In the 17th century the beginning of a modern society, saw a breakdown in the cohesiveness of family life. Societies attitudes towards lunatics and beggars became less tolerant, and many Tom O’ Bedlams were placed in correctional facilities or workhouses. By around 1660 the Tom O’ Bedlams had entirely disappeared from the English Landscape.

Combining bawdy humour and pathos, music and madness, ‘Whatever Happened to Tom O’ Bedlam’, Glenn Koppany’s third play, considers the plight of two such wanderers. Consisting of Tom Ferguson, Linda O’Connor and Glenn Koppany, Wihtwara have been playing folk music together for three years. Now our passion for theatre has led us into the lunacy and mayhem that is Tom and Maud’s world.

Contains some mild swearing.