Keeping a family's wartime memories alive in new play

A former University of Lancashire student has transformed his family history, rooted in Chorley and Preston, into Marie, a historical audio play about wartime love, memory, and the quieter lives experienced alongside global conflict.

- by Gazette Reporter

Written and produced by Sebastian Towyn-Brown, Marie is loosely inspired by his grandmother, who grew up in Chorley.

While fictionalised, the play’s emotional centre comes directly from stories passed down through his family. “It’s not a straight retelling,” Towyn-Brown says. “There just isn’t enough information for that, and in a way, that made it easier.”

The project began during lockdown, after his uncle submitted a short version of the story to a podcast.