Kempton play imaginative storytelling

It's taken a little more than a century, but the story of Bear River's most sensational murder has finally reached the stage. It's also drawn both experienced and first-time actors from throughout the region as an epic grassroots effort to bring history into the modern age.

Annie Kempton was found murdered in 1896 and immediate suspicion was laid on a former sailor, Peter Wheeler. Through an investigation and sensational murder trial, Wheeler was hanged for the crime, but as with many crimes from the past, doubt has swirled around the question of Wheeler's true guilt.

The play Annie Kempton doesn't seek to definitively answer that question. Instead it provides a modern audience with a dramatic portrayal of actual events and evidence, leading only to the conclusion that capital punishment erases any possibility of fixing mistakes.

Playwright and director, Rupert Haley has pulled together possibly the region's largest cast ever to bring Kempton and Wheeler's story to the stage - complete with exquisite period costumes and a set that will be a visual feast under the lights at Digby Regional High School Oct. 25 and 26.

"It leaves the viewer with a lot of pieces of the puzzle which, to me, suggests that he might not have been the murderer," said Haley during a break from rehearsals. "I do try, as the writer, to suggest that it wasn't beyond a reasonable doubt. Once you hang them, you can't apologize for that later."

Haley said the idea formed a few years ago while he was teaching drama at the high school, and finally came together this past May. After that the Digby and Area Theatre Society advertised for a cast and by August, it was time to begin rehearsals.

For lifelong Bear River resident and neophyte actor Neil Brennan, the play brings back memories of his childhood and visits to the Kempton homestead and her grave. As a child he was given a gift of old newspaper articles about the case that had appeared in the Digby Courier and Annapolis Spectator. Brennan was always fascinated by the story and is playing the role of a doctor, fitting as his father was a Bear River doctor for 43 years.

"I think it's a very valuable thing for our village because any lifelong resident of Bear River will immediately recognize the name of Annie Kempton and know she was murdered," said Brennan. "There's a lot of mistaken legends that have grown up, but this will bring it through with accuracy."

He said many people had their doubts about Wheeler's guilt even in 1896. Perhaps they were so anxious to find someone to nail it on that other possibilities were not considered.

"I know that a lot of old people who were alive at the time passed down their doubts to their sons and daughters," said Brennan. "I still hear that now when people talk about it and they say their grandfather told them that they hanged the wrong man and that the real killer walked backwards through the snow to deceive the trackers."

Haley said he painstakingly researched his facts before creating a play that used real people from that time. Of course, as the playwright, he had to use his imagination to create dialogue and that could make for interesting conversations after people see the play.

"All of the people in the play really lived, most of them are buried there in Bear River - and their families still live around the area," said Haley. "It has occurred to me somebody might say, 'How dare you say great-great-aunt so-and-so said such-and-such when I know she would never say that.'"

Unlike the actors who have deep roots in the community and its history, Don Carter is a Bear River newcomer. He said he's always been interested in the area's history and had originally been cast as Annie Kempton's father. After work commitments lead to the original lead stepping aside, Carter was re-cast in the role of Peter Wheeler. He said narrow-sightedness lead to some of the original cast dropping out.

"A few people at the start were pretty negative about it, about whether or not the play should even be done, so when (Haley) asked me I said I'd do what I could to make the play work," said Carter. "Wheeler's being portrayed pretty well - the way Rupert has been able to find history about it - so there's a little doubt. It seems like he might have done it, but there could have been someone else involved. There could have been two or three scenarios, but he was the easiest one to blame."

Haley said for the most part, it's been an enjoyable experience getting the people together to perform the play, but it might be difficult to keep all of the cast together to perform the play, ideally, in Bear River or farther up the road at King's Theatre. Meanwhile, Brennan said it's about time the story was told.

"This story deserves to be told, she was a heroic woman, and this play brings it all to life," said Brennan. "I think it's a good thing to have this all reconciled in an accurate form for the people of Bear River."