Islam is the controversial theme for Arts Council backed new play by Beadle John Yates

An Arts Council grant has been given to John Yates, Marlborough’s emerging playwright better known as the Town Council’s beadle, for a two-hour rehearsed reading of his latest play, entitled Islam, at the Salisbury Playhouse on Saturday.

He has chosen a highly controversial subject as conflict engulfs the Middle East by declaring: “My play asks whether Islam could fill the moral void left by the decline in the UK of Christianity and more recently of socialism.  Could we have an Islamic revolution in the UK?”

His play revolves round a woman casino banker in the City whose marriage, career and life is under threat, and asks the question whether extremes of wealth and poverty threaten social stability.

“Global finance doesn’t connect with the real economy,” he points out.  “The poor are demonised.  The weak are abandoned.  Compassion is vanishing. Change is needed.”

And he adds:  “Hatred of bankers was my original motivating factor.  However, when I researched the 2008 economic crisis it seemed to me that the investment banks were simply doing what society requires of them.

“They allow capital to make more capital.  There were, certainly, some pretty corrupt activities going on and bankers were, and still are, disgustingly overpaid, but basically we get the bankers we deserve.

“The implications of 2008 go much deeper than anyone wants to admit.  Without a robust moral environment, unfettered capitalism leads to a society so divided as to be unstable.  “Proponents of ‘The Wealth of Nations’ haven’t read Adam Smith’s ‘Theory of Moral Sentiments’.”

Yates, who has had careers in engineering and teaching, moved from London to Marlborough with his wife, Ann, in 1984, has also based Islam on the five sections of TS Eliot’s The Waste Land, which he has expanded significantly to 12 scenes with a prologue and epilogue.

“I’m thrilled to receive an Arts Council grant,” he says.  “This allows me to have four days of rehearsals with professional actors and director Jon (correct) Nash.

“Following the reading I shall have a series of meetings, the end goal is a script suitable for offering to a production company.”

Tickets for the 3pm reading on Saturday cost £5. Telephone 01722 320 333 or book online at www.salisburyplayhouse.com