‘The Winds of Change’ commemorates 1967 Referendum

A new play commemorating the 50th anniversary of the 1967 Referendum will open later this month at the John Mackintosh Hall.

A White Light Company production the play 'The Winds of Change' will be staged on Thursday 18, Friday 19 and Saturday 20.

The play is transpires in the decade leading up to the 1967 Referendum and has cast of more than 30 actors.

Written for the Referendum's 50th anniversary it has been co-written by Jackie Villa and Andrew Dark.

The group also presented a play marking the evacuation of the people of Gibraltar during the Second World War some years back and which was based on an original work by Rebecca Faller.

Deputy Chief Minister Dr Joseph Garcia, who was responsible for co-ordinating the recent Referendum anniversary events, said he was delighted to have been approached by Jackie Villa with the idea of producing a play to tell the story of the events surrounding the 1967 Referendum and was quick to support this venture.

“I know that the team have worked very hard to get everything together and that work will come to fruition this month. Those who lived through the tumultuous events of the 1960s in Gibraltar, who witnessed the Referendum or who were able to cast their vote should come and see it. The play will also be of interest to young people who will obtain a better understanding of this defining moment in our history,” he said.

Jackie Villa said: “We are now informing the public of our history and we aim to bring this piece of story-telling to our youth so that the story is not lost. Our young people need to understand why our people voted the way they did in 1967.”

Tickets, priced at £12 for the Thursday and Friday performances and £14 for Saturday's gala night, are available from tickets.gi and from the John Mackintosh Hall Box Office between 5pm and 7pm, from Monday to Friday.