Rochdale Literature and Ideas Festival: The Mask of Anarchy

The Mask of Anarchy is a documentary film made by local writing groups and festival organisers to commemorate the Peterloo Massacre

Scroll down for Video

The Mask of Anarchy is a documentary film made by local writing groups and festival organisers to commemorate the Peterloo Massacre. The film was shown to an audience at the Literature and Ideas Festival today (Friday 25 October).

The film, which was the idea of Eileen Earnshaw, secretary of the Co-op members group, shows participants recreating the poem The Mask of Anarchy, written by Percy Byshe Shelley following the Peterloo Massacre - the poem is a political poem written in 1819.

The film was directed by Paul Jesen and produced by Norman Warwick.

Eileen Earnshaw said: "The film is a documentary that has included writing groups from across the borough. We have performed the poem to about 150 across the borough."

The screening of the film was held after two protest poems were performed in the library as part of the festival.

Eileen added: "This has let people do something in the community and it allows people to feel part of a community and allows them to add something to the community."

Norman Warwick, who produced the film, said: "It is a credit to Rochdale that this many people have turned out to watch this film."

The Peterlook Massacre occurred at Peters Field, Manchester in 1819 when cavalry charged into a crowd of up to 80,000 people that had gathered to demand the reform of parliamentary representation.

www.rochdaleliteraturefestival.co.uk