Monday 27 October 2014

Jack The Ripper

Jack The Ripper
A 21st Century Investigation
Middlesbrough Theatre
23.10.2014

Trevor Marriott's talk on Jack The Ripper proved gorily instructive. The former murder squad detective has been investigating the infamous case of the Whitechapel murders since 2002 and he presented his findings and theories over the course of a two-hour talk. Numerous gruesome images were displayed on the big screen as Trevor guided the audience through the shocking series of murders.
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Without wishing to give too much away, it is safe to say that many of the established ''facts'' can now be discarded as false trails and it is clear numerous of the well-known suspects can now be dismissed from the case. Even the stereotypical image of the Ripper - hat, cloak, black bag - is based on a falsehood (such a well dressed gent would have been mugged repeatedly on Whitechapel) and many other aspects of the case which have lodged in the public consciousness are equally fictitious. Indeed, separating fact from fiction was the great strength of the presentation and I found the whole thing very revealing.

Although the theatre was not full, the audience was certainly more sizeable than the one which recently greeted both Sikes and Nancy and Dr Feelgood. Maybe, down Middlesbrough way, Jack The Ripper is simply more popular than Dickens and rhythm and blues.

Please head for Trevor's official website for further details and tour dates.

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