Montague Terrace

In the heart of London, an old Victorian terrace harbours the stories of four strangers separated by decades. Amid the rubble of 1944 and the struggles of a pandemic-stricken present, their lives echo across time, watched over by an ancient Plane tree that has witnessed it all.

1944: Jim, scarred by the horrors of war, demobbed only to find his home reduced to rubble and his wife gone, taking their daughter with her. He’s re-housed at Montague Terrace, where he meets Helena, a Czech refugee, who, despite being through hell to escape Europe, faces each day with renewed strength.

In the present day, David has lost everything in the pandemic and finds himself at Montague Terrace. Here, he meets Sarah, the victim of an abusive marriage who has been using the empty flat as an occasional refuge from her husband. Sarah finds solace in the ancient Plane tree outside the terrace, a symbol of endurance amidst the turmoil, and dreads its removal by the council.

The narrative weaves between these two timelines, with the ancient tree as a silent observer. The lives of Jim, Helena, David, and Sarah are mysteriously interconnected, with their struggles and triumphs resonating across the decades.

Montague Terrace written by Adrian Harris, (recipient of a Peggy Ramsay Grant, South Glos Council Chair’s Award), is supported by an artist grant from WECA.