Murder most foul

The murder, known then as The Princes Street Tragedy was one of the most shocking acts of its time. William and Ellen Bury had moved to the area from London, and Ellen commenced work in the city’s jute industry. However, Ellen’s life was brutally cut short at the hands of her husband.

Euan Macpherson has previously written a book on this subject, and holds the interesting theory that when William Bury was executed in Dundee, the executioner also killed the famous murderer, Jack the Ripper.

“William Bury was a midlands man. In 1887 he moved down to the east end of London, and the famous murders commenced in 1888. The last murder took place in November 1888, and in January 1889, he relocated to Dundee. The murder in this city took place in February 1889, and used the same modus operandi as Jack the Ripper, strangulation and mutilation. There were no more Jack the Ripper murders after this point.”

“Also, whoever Jack the Ripper was, we know that he wasn’t a Londoner—he is described as speaking with a foreign accent, which at that time meant anything unusual, or outside London.”

“The other thing to consider is that the murders ceased abruptly in London. To me, a killer like this wouldn’t stop, so either he died, or he left London. We know that William Bury moved from London to Dundee, and then we have him committing a murder similar to the London ones here.”

Circumstantial, maybe, but certainly compelling. This theory is backed up by reports from the time that William Bury’s executioner was of the opinion he was killing Jack the Ripper, and the fact that, on the back of Ellen and William’s door, was a note written in chalk, saying ‘Jack the Ripper is at the back of this door’.

Of course, the challenges of writing a persuasive argument on a topic of this nature and dramatising it for a cast to perform are vastly different.

“The book was very linear, and very logical in the way it followed the trial. The play had to be a bit more flexible; it couldn’t be so focused, it had to be more artistic.” For Euan, this approach to telling a tale differs markedly from his previous writing work. “I used to work as a freelance journalist, where the first aim is to be factual and logical. I simply couldn’t do that with this play—if I’d been as logical as before, we’d have lost all the drama. Here, I haven’t tried to convince anybody about the rights and wrongs of the case, I’m presenting the dramatic side.”

Indeed, while Euan has taken a more artistic approach here, he has maintained a great deal of the thoughts and language of the time through the dialogue. To do this, he has interwoven his own work with the real drama of the time.

“I’ve used genuine excerpts from witness evidence in the trial to supply some of the lines from the play. We have statements from the sister of the deceased, and a brothel keeper who reports on the couple’s time in London. The actors also take the roles of English witnesses who gave evidence in Dundee.

“We’ve also added a number of street scenes, which keeps the action vibrant, as even the people in the street gossiped about the real details of the case as it was going on.”

This discussion is interspersed with dramatic monologues from William from within his cell, allowing the audience to see not only the prisoner in the dock, but also to understand his experience in a more personal context.

The play is to be performed outside at Weaver’s Yard, Princes Street, within sight of the scene of Ellen’s murder. This outdoor setting demands a considerable amount from the cast, some of whom are to play up to three roles.

“As the play is to be in the open air, the cast is always in sight of the audience, which adds an extra challenge. The reason for this is twofold. Firstly, there are more parts than cast members, so people double up. I think it’s also good for the cast, keeping them focused and totally involved. They have to assume a new character simply by changing their coat or putting on a hat.”

The other challenges are more practical. “If you’re in a theatre, and you make a sound, it bounces back from the walls and ceiling. Here, that luxury isn’t there. If there’s a thunderstorm on the night, we have problems!”

The setting, however, does allow the audience to be seated close to the cast. It will also allow the audience to evaluate the actions as people at the time would have, and to evaluate the information presented exactly as those following the trial 118 years ago would have done.

The play is being produced by the Open Door Theatre Company, which aims to give opportunities in drama to all, regardless of age, sex, race or ability, and is committed to producing new work from local writers.

“It’s an independent community theatre company. It’s very inclusive, with people aged from 13 to 80 plus. We’re open to everyone, and have a policy of casting everyone who wants a role, so we have actors in this who have 20 years’ experience, and people for whom this is their first time before an audience.”

The history of the Open Door Theatre is considerable, and Euan’s involvement dates back to when it was administered by Tayside Regional Council.

“Tayside Region had a community theatre group, housed at the Dudhope Arts Centre. However, when Tayside Region ceased to be, so did the Dudhope. The people who were interested in this sort of theatre carried on, though, and by some miracle or other, we’ve survived since 1997. That’s 10 years, producing two shows a year, with a whole range of people.”

Euan’s involvement with the theatre goes beyond playwriting, however, as he also acts himself, and one of the main attractions to theatre for him is the engagement with the audience.

“One of the reasons I like being involved is the buzz it gives you. When you’re finished, and the audience applause starts, it’s amazing, and it can build your self confidence.

“Acting can be a form of therapy really: when you’re on stage, the only thing you’re thinking about is your next line, and what’s happening around you, who’s saying what, and when do you have a line. You can’t think about your own problems at work, you can’t think about things at home, none of these things can matter. You’ve got to get rid of everything else. It sounds strange, but the whole experience can be quite restful really. There’s also the fantasy element; the draw of getting to be someone entirely different for a couple of hours.”

One of the potential problems Euan faced when developing this play was juxtaposing the typical presentation of the Jack the Ripper character, traditionally thought of as from an elevated level in society, with William, who is known to have had a far more basic lifestyle. However, Euan explains that this may simply be a result of the manner in which we imagine the famous killer.

“One of the things about Jack the Ripper, is that we see him as a Dr Jekyll/Mr Hyde kind of person. Stevenson wrote Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, the novel, in 1886, and it was being performed in the west end of London in 1888, around the time of the murders. If you think about it, this character has formed the template for the way we view Jack the Ripper. We went looking for a doctor who lived a double life, where he might just have been an ordinary guy. All of the theories that go along with Jack the Ripper tend to be looking for a Dr Jekyll kind of person, living in London’s west end, but it’s not necessarily the only possibility.”

Euan explains that another set of people added to this character presentation.

“One of the problems with this murder case, really, is that it came to a very unsatisfactory conclusion. There were no more murders, and the police moved on, as they have to do. After the police investigation, the people that took over were the writers, the authors, and we moved more towards the world of crime fiction really, which feeds into this portrayal, and the discussion moved from the realms of fact to fiction.”

It would be fair to say, however, that the Ripper murders have generated a considerable amount of interest over the subsequent years. For Euan, this is to do with the context in which they took place. “I think this series of murders was particularly shocking at the time, partly because it was one of the first major cases in the media age—everyone could read about it and follow it. Also, when you view such hideous acts against the background of Victorian morals, they become even more shocking.”

Euan, who lives in Dundee, is currently working on a number of other pieces, and somehow manages to fit his writing around two other occupations—working as a part-time lecturer in communications at Dundee College, and also as a librarian with Dundee City Council. This means being at his desk before six o’clock and putting in a couple of hours writing before heading off to work. Despite such a gruelling schedule, he enjoys the challenge and he hopes others will enjoy the fruits of his labour. “Firstly, I hope the audience enjoy the play. Secondly, I hope the cast enjoy it. For some, this will be their first experience of performing before a live audience, and I hope they’re able to look back at the play with fond memories.”

Was the most famous murderer of the 19th century executed in Dundee? Did Dundee play host to the final Ripper murder? Possibly. Whether or not you believe Euan’s theory, it should certainly make for some gripping drama.

The Princes Street Tragedy is to be performed at 7.30pm on Thursday and Friday this week. Tickets cost £4 (£2 concessions) and are available on the night.