Melys (2004), written by Mark Beeson, made used of the Dartmoor story of the Tinner of the Redbrook, as told by William Crossing in his book Gems in a Granite Setting.
It was the first community play written in the later style of MED Theatre, combining verse and prose text, with more prose than verse. It was also the first play since Crowhurst (1983) in which dance was used extensively.
Melys also looked at the history of Egyptians (or Roma) in England and on Dartmoor, The action was set partly in Tudor times and partly in the present with the action highlighting age-old conflicts: industry and wildness, tribalism and hospitality, and destiny and free-will. The climax of the interwoven stories, ancient and modern, takes place in the snow. Snow choreography was provided by Rosalyn Maynard and snow music by Sabrina Stolfa.
