The Clearing is set in 17th century Ireland, as Cromwell's men are systematically transporting women and children, and forcing Irish landowners and English royalists off their land. Robert Preston, politically neutral, apparently, with no inheritance in England but possessed of lands in Ireland, is married to Madeleine, an Irish woman. When Madeleine's childhood friend Killaine is taken by English soldiers to be sent to the West Indies, she pleads with the English governor, Sir Charles Sturman, for her release. Sturman's response is
to order Madeleine and Robert to be transplanted with their child to barren Connaught, in the west of Ireland. But Robert refuses to go.

Cast in order of appearance

KILLAINE FARRELL	Susi Bott
PIERCE KINSELLAGH	Daoud Benedetti
SOLOMON WINTER	Alan Bridgman
SUSANEH WINTER	Joan Bridgman
ROBERT PRESTON	Terry Menard
MADELEINE PRESTON	Sylvia Lynch
SIR CHARLES STURMAN	David Roscoe
A COMMISSIONER OF TRANSPLANTATION	Tom Hofmaenner
A SAILOR	Tom Hofmaenner
AN APPEAL JUDGE	Tom Hofmaenner
DIRECTED by Patricia Peggs

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Behind the scenes

​Stage Manager	Dorothy Nauer
Set Design	Christian Brandenburg
Lighting Design	Sonia Maechler
​Ligting Crew	Luke Walker, Enel Miller, Megan Spence, Dustin Rees
Sound	​Martin Russell, Matthew Harte
Properties	Janet Evard, Sheila von Arx
Costumes	Ann Grosfort, Noeleen Blaich
Make-up and wigs	Christine Eusebio, Paul Day, Sylvia Hintermeister
Prompters	Valery Niggli, Jo Dennis
Programme Design	Janine Fuchs
Programme Editor	Peter Shenton