Telling and retelling the tale. adapting the murder ballad ‘Duncan and Brady’ for the stage as past and future visions of a folk crime

In adapting the murder ballad Duncan and Brady for the stage as a one act play ‘Been on the Job Too Long, and setting the story within that adaptation in three different places and times periods, the playwright made a decision to stage a meditation on how the true murder story of Duncan and Brady is an ideal tale to be told and retold. Telling and retelling the tale in different times and places had its own rewards for the writer, and potentially for performers. In writing three versions of this tale, the playwright stretched, challenged and gave himself increased scope as a writer and researcher, as well as stretching, challenging and giving a showcase to actors who perform the piece . This paper explores some of the key decisions, techniques and discoveries made in the process of adapting the ballad for the stage. It tells how this process gave the writer increased clarity in terms of his writerly objectives and personal vision.

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