The Witchfinder's Sister

Matthew Hopkins, a real-life English witch-hunter of the 1640s, inspires Underdown's debut, as Alice Hopkins offers an interpretation of what drove him to kill approximately 300 women. A sinister mood is immediately established by Alice as she explains that she is a prisoner and, as such, will record the history of her brother. Grieving and destitute, Alice returned from London after her husband's death and found superstition rampant in the Essex village and Matthew a fervent witch-hunter. Not fully understanding the danger around her, Alice unsuccessfully tried both to reason with and to placate her brother. The menacing spirit of the times, the place, and the people quickly envelopes the listener. Lucy Brownhill's soft, sibilant voice, measured pacing, and English country accents build the atmosphere of isolation and fear. As Alice realizes that she cannot save the people she loves, Brownhill's voice rises and quickens to show her growing desperation.