How to Bury a Dead Mule
by Richard Clements
“I saw the inhumanity and savagery all around me etched into the faces, I was one of them too. Why me, why did I survive?”
How to Bury a Dead Mule tells the story of Norman Clements, Royal Irish Fusilier, his experiences in the front line battles of North Africa, Sicily and Italy during World War Two and his subsequent struggles with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Norman’s account is brought to life in a one-man show with original music, scripted by his grandson, actor Richard Clements who also performs.
An evocative and compellingly powerful piece, at times harrowing and uniquely thought-provoking, Richard takes the audience on an affecting and beautifully imaginative journey into the heart of a man trying to regain a foothold in society.
The story unfolds as he conjures up the old Tonic cinema in Bangor and welcomes in the ghosts of his past, the old projector flickers, the dust light settles and for the first time, he finds his voice.
Image Credit: Neil Harrison
Creatives & Cast
Written/Performed by
Richard Clements
Director
Matthew McElhinney
Sound Designer
Adam Booth
Video Designer
Eoin Robinson
Lighting Designer
Mary Tumelty
Set Designer
Stuart Marshall
Stage Manager
Emily Moore
Original Music Composed by
Richard Clements
Videographer
Tristan Crowe (Negative Waves)
Photographer
Neil Harrison
Credits
Sponsored by
Northern Ireland War Memorial Museum
Northern Ireland Screen Digital Film Archive
Doyle Shipping Group
Clear Pharmacy
Rathmore Productions
Archive Curation
Northern Ireland Screen Digital Film Archive
Imperial War Museum
Creative Use and Colourisation 2022 Original Black and White Film ⓒ Imperial War Museum
Supported by
The Barn Theatre