In 1518, the sudden death of mariner Richard Astill rocks the foundations of the Suffolk fishing community. As the events of his trial begin to unfold, the locals discover that the tragedy won’t be as easy to seek justice for as they had imagined…

Oyster Man is a new original play by The Chainers young company exploring the true events of a local maritime disaster from the 1500s. This unique play offers a rare insight into the Tudor justice system and explores how money and power continue to hold influence over the decisions of the court.

The Chainers are a young company with a passion for heritage stories. This play follows The Chainers’ highly successful production Tuppence A Week, telling the story of Henry Tooley’s Almshouses on Foundation Street.

This project is in partnership with Dr Tom Johnson through his project funded by The British Academy, with research materials from Suffolk Archives