Hammett's Apprentice

Synopsis

A Cambridge physics lab, sterile and modern, suddenly invaded by the ghostly presence of a 19th-century labourer

Mary, a brilliant but troubled physics student at Cambridge, finds her world turned upside down when she begins receiving visitations from James Hammett, one of the Tolpuddle Martyrs. As Mary grapples with her own sense of direction and purpose, Hammett’s spectral presence forces her to confront the weight of history and the legacies we inherit. Their interactions, spanning centuries, reveal the enduring impact of past injustices on the present.

Kevin Hood’s play is a haunting exploration of historical echoes and personal identity. Through its poetic dialogue and shifting moods, the play weaves together themes of substitution, secrecy, and the inescapability of family history. As Mary’s volatile behaviour mirrors the turbulent past represented by Hammett, Hood crafts a narrative that questions how much our lives are shaped by the struggles of those who came before us. The play’s blend of historical drama and contemporary character study offers a profound meditation on sacrifice, both historical and personal, and the ongoing quest for understanding in a world still marked by the scars of the past.