There I am, directing a group of 12-13 year olds round our version of the streets of Torrington during the English Civil War. In character as Mistress Agnes, I warn the group that there is plague in Torrington. ‘What!’, says a particularly pink and fluffy member of the group, ‘Really?’. Comforting to know I am so convincing I suppose. I had also told her there were 17,000 soldiers in the town – if she believed thet she must have wondered where they were hiding.