It is midday on the day of Charles Darwin’s funeral: Wednesday 26 April 1882. Emma Darwin has stayed home at Down House. She is seated at the piano and lifts the lid.

Petra Markham and Nicholas Le Prevost recording at Down House

EMMA

By Craig Baxter

Cast

Charles Darwin   . . . . .   Nicholas Le Prevost

Emma Darwin     . . . . .   Petra Markham

Frank                  . . . . .   Will Howard

Bessy                  . . . . .   Dolores Carbonari

Pianist                 . . . . .     Alison Doubleday

Sound by Maria Nolan

Directed and Produced by Fiona McAlpine

Executive Producer for the Darwin Correspondence Project: Francis Neary

Recorded on location at Darwin's home, Down House, Kent (English Heritage), with many thanks to Olivia Fryman and the staff there

An Allegra Production for the Darwin Correspondence Project

(C) 2022 Cambridge University Library