13th Annual Bonfire Night at Misquamicut 
Celebrating 405 years 1605-2010

By Caswell Cooke, Jr.
   

What: 13th Annual Guy Fawkes Bonfire Night
Where: Andrea Hotel, 89 Atlantic Ave. Misquamicut Beach, RI
When:  Saturday October 9th, 2010
 

  

Click here to view a slideshow of past performances

 
 

Annual Guy Fawkes Bonfire Night featuring “The Misquamicut Players”, a group of local actors (The Misquamicut Players) and “King Crimson’s Jesters” an ensemble of local musicians (The Beach Band) will be held at the Andrea Hotel, 89 Atlantic Ave, Misquamicut Beach on Saturday October 9, 2010 at 7:00pm. The event will feature a large bonfire, live music, the Westerly Morris Men, Kentish Guards Fife and Drum as well as a reenactment of Guy Fawke’s trial. All are welcome and the event is free of charge.

Just who is Guy Fawkes? The story begins in 1605, when Guy Fawkes (also known as Guido-yes, really) and a group of coconspirators attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament.

The conspirators were angered because King James had been exiling Jesuits from England. The plotters wanted to wrest power away from the king. Today, they would be known as extremists.

 

However, in an attempt to protect a friend in the House of Lords, one of the group members sent an anonymous letter warning his friend to stay away from the parliament on the evening in question.

The warning letter reached the King, and the conspirators were caught, tortured and executed. Guy Fawkes and his friends had rolled 36 barrels of gunpowder under the Houses of Parliament.

These days, Guy Fawkes Day is also known as Bonfire Night. The event is commemorated every year with fireworks and burning an effigy of Fawkes on a bonfire. The effigies are simply known as "Guys". 

Some of the English have been known to wonder whether they are celebrating Fawkes' execution or honoring his attempt to do away with the government.
 

A  common question asked is; "was there really a gunpowder plot, or were the "conspirators" framed by the king?" There was no doubt an attempt to blow up parliament. Guy Fawkes and his associates may have been caught in a Jacobean sting operation. Many of the plotters were known traitors. It would have been almost impossible for them to get hold of 36 barrels of gunpowder without the government finding out.

 
 

As for the secret warning letter, many historians believe the King's officials fabricated it. The letter made it easy to explain how the king found out about the plot and stopped it just in time. The letter was in fact very vague. It said nothing about the details of the attack. Still, the King and his men knew exactly where and when to catch the conspirators and stop the plot.

The English have been burning effigies to mark Guy Fawkes Day for over 400 years. The practice of burning the effigies, (which today are called "guys") on the night of November 5th was started in 1606, just years after the failed Gunpowder plot.

In these first bonfires, called "bone fires" at the time, it was not the bones or effigies of Guy Fawkes which were burned. Not until 1806, two centuries later, did the people start burning effigies of Guy Fawkes himself. Still today, communities throw dummies of Guy Fawkes, politicians and people in the news on the bonfire.
The Misquamicut Players have made an annual tradition of reenacting this night of inquisition and execution. Directed by Caswell Cooke, Jr., this year written by Ryan Zemanek and presented by the Misquamicut Business Association at the Andrea Hotel, this evening brings together local actors and musicians for a comedic look at this English holiday.

 

Last year, musicians performed the Beatle's classic "Norweigian Wood" and the Rolling Stones "Paint It Black" along with the Mody Blues "Nights in White Satin." Singer and Bandleader Mike Bussy felt these songs fit into the reenactment of the King's Court as if they were conceived in these times. 2010 will feature more great classics and a tribute to John Lennon.
 
Actors including Bucky Walsh, "Z" Leach, Chris DiPaola, Ryan Zemanek, Matthew Hopkins, Rick Corbett and John Flemming will play the parts of the Court Crier Archbishop of Canterbury, Queen, King, Duke of Earl, Duke of Corbett and Guy Fawkes respectively. The setting is the Court of King James I in England circa 1605. There will be fanfare, Fife and Drum, and marvelous costumes. Then there is bad acting, so-so music, and the large bonfire. The whole family is invited to step back in time and enjoy this magical evening. 2010 celebrates the 405th anniversary (and Misquamicut's 13th!) of this event!
 

Click here for a slide show

 
 

 

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