Get your tickets for public execution… as Spalding Gentleman’s Society and ACT II tell the story of thief-taker general Jonathan Wild

Jonathan Wild was one of the greatest villains - and heroes - of his time. And now his story is coming to life.

In the early 1700s he rose to the prominent position of Thief-Taker General for Britain and Ireland, rounding up rogues, returning stolen items to the public and dishing out justice with such brilliance he was known as a hero to Robert Walpole, the first Prime Minister.

But behind Wild’s brave deeds lay a murky secret as he was, in fact, running his own criminal empire from the shadows - which will be told by Spalding’s ACT II in a specially created play.

As well as abusing his public position to get rid of rivals, Wild - the inspiration for the classic song Mac the Knife - would also send his toughs out commit crimes before the gang would return their loot and collect the reward money after the incidents became high-profile enough.

On some occasions he would also turn in his own men, a useful way to get rid of a dissenting voice which complained about the size of their cut.

However, Wild’s wicked ways eventually caught up with him and he met his maker at London’s Tyburn Tree Gallows in 1725, his hanging watched by a huge crowd including writers Daniel Defoe and Henry Fielding as well as, it is believed, Spalding’s very own Maurice Johnson.

“Spalding Gentleman’s Society has a ticket for Wild’s execution in their possession, and they have reasonable knowledge that he was in London at the time,” explained Karl Gernert, director of Act II Theatre Company.

You Are Invited To An Execution will be staged at the South Holland Centre on Sunday, November 2, at 3pm, charting the duplicitous life of Wild.

Penned by Karl, this original play has been created in collaboration with Spalding Gentleman’s Society, in conjunction with Future of the Past, SoundLincs and funded by the national Lottery Heritage Fund.

The performance will be followed by a talk by the Spalding Gentleman’s Society focussing on Wild and his era, including some special artifacts.

“Daniel Defoe and Henry Fielding both wrote accounts of Jonathan Wild’s story, and they’re both wildly different,” added Karl.

“So we’ve taken their versions, smushed them together and made our own story.”

“They both appear in play, trying to tell their story as rivals.”

Playwright John Gay was also in attendance at the execution, using Wild as inspiration for highwayman Macheath in his Beggar’s Opera.

“The Beggar’s Opera then became the Threepenny Opera that Brecht rewrote, and one of the songs was Mack the Knife, about Macheath,” Karl said.

“All of a sudden you’ve got Frank Sinatra, Bobby Darin and Robbie Willians, even, singing this song Mack The Knife, about Jonathan Wild in a roundabout way.

“He’s deep into our cultural psyche, but no-one’s ever heard of him.”

A 17-strong cast aged between 12 and 17 will perform the show, after ensuring they had their own input in the production.

“They’ve contributed as well.” Karl added. “It’s an original piece and they’re bold enough to say I don’t think this line works or can we try this.

“They’re very much part of the creative process.”

Spalding Gentlemen’s Society says it is excited to be working with Act II and Future Past, a county wide project for young peple, on this project.

Chairman of Spalding Gentlemen’s Society Petronella Keeling said: “We’ll be mounting a display of illustrations by artist William Hogarth in the lobbies of South Holland Centre before and after the show. Our collections team will also do a short talk on the ticket that inspired the project in the bar area after the show, with a Q&A.

“The original ticket is on display in our next exhibition at Ayscoughfee Hall Museum, opening on Wednesday, October 29.”

Tickets for You Are Invited To An Execution cost £5 (£4 concessions) and are available from the South Holland Centre at www.southhollandcentre.co.uk.