The Duke in the Cupboard, a new play by NE writer Susan Wear at South Shields Customs House in October, tells the story of one of the most famous art thefts of the 20th century.
On 2 August 1961, Goya’s portrait of the Duke of Wellington, which had been saved for the nation by a special treasury grant, was put on display at The National Gallery in London. Nineteen days later it was stolen.
Four years after the theft, Kempton Bunton, a 61-year-old unemployed former bus driver from Benwell, Newcastle, baffled Scotland Yard detectives by confessing to the theft. Had this heavily built, antisocial, bespectacled Geordie really outwitted the gallery’s sophisticated security?
The case sparked a national sensation and became so famous it featured in the first James Bond film, Dr No, in 1962.
The play has been written by Susan Wear, from Jarrow, who became fascinated with the story after reading secret Director of Public Prosecution papers relating to the case.
“I felt so compelled to unearth the incredible twists and turns of this story, much of which has not been told before,” the Port of Tyne worker said.
Ray Spencer, Director of The Customs House, added, “when Susan first pitched the story to me I knew our audiences would be just as intrigued as I was. And what better time to tell the tale in this the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo?”
The play is directed by Katy Weir, joint artistic director of OddManOut, a new-writing company based in Darlington, and the cast is Graham Overton as Kempton Bunton, Zoe Lambert as his wife May Bunton, Stephen Gregory as John Bunton, Adam Donaldson as DS Stevens / Jeremy Hutchinson QC, Scott Ellis as DI Homes / Judge Carl Aarvold and Tom Machell as Bill Chester.
The play runs at the Customs House from 7 to 10 October.