Bear sighting in Suffolk woods was 'promotional' hoax staged by theatre group

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 8:46 AM on 31st March 2009

Reports of a brown bear roaming through a Suffolk forest were part of an elaborate hoax dreamed up by a team of actors to promote a play, it has emerged.

Ramblers and dog walkers were urged to take care after bear sightings were reported around Rendlesham Forest near Woodbridge, Ipswich.

But the mystery of the alleged sightings was finally solved as bare-faced theatre bosses admitted they had dreamed the whole thing up.

The Red Rose Chain Theatre Company, who were staging an outdoor summer production of Shakespeare's A Winter's Tale, admitted they were behind the stunt.

The script contains a famous stage direction ' 'Exit, pursued by a bear' and the actors chose to use the phrase as the inspiration for its promotional campaign.
Actor and designer Jimmy Grimes said they had wanted to make one of the Bard's lesser-known plays more appealing to families and children.

Jimmy said: 'We didn't want to scare anyone. The idea is to get kids interested and excited about the play. We want to create a family-friendly, fairytale feel for the production.

'No one really knows that much about the play. There's a tiny little stage direction "Exit, pursued by a bear" and a bear is supposed to follow him and it turns out he gets eaten by the bear.

'In Shakespeare's day they probably would have had a real live bear at the Globe.

'But this tiny little stage direction is probably the most famous part of the play and it's something we thought we could use to get kids interested.'

As well as sending out intriguing emails detailing fictitious sightings of the mystifying animal in the woods, the inspired theatre company even posted hoax videos of it on Youtube.

Watch the video here:



But walker Jenny Pearce insisted she saw the creature while exploring the area with her three-year-old son after having a picnic.

She said: 'I saw it moving through the trees ahead. It was much bigger than a dog. I picked up my son and left for the car straight away.'

Rendlesham Forest made headlines after a UFO was allegedly spotted there in 1980.
The incident became known as 'Britain's Roswell.'

A Suffolk Police spokesman said: 'If there was a bear in the woods, it would be a matter of concern. But we have received no reports.'

Alec Suttenwood of Ipswich Wildlife Care and Rescue said: 'We have heard reports of big cats in the past - but never a bear.

'Some dogs like a big chow, which is very hairy, can look like bears.

'I think a bear could survive in Rendlesham Forest although it would be a big danger to people.'

Wild brown bears are thought to have become extinct in the UK in the 11th century.

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