Death and the Maiden revival comes to Hope Street

CHILEAN playwright Ariel Dorfman’s award-winning 1990 play Death and the Maiden is set for revival this week at the Hope Street Theatre. 

Presented by EB Productions, performances will run from Wednesday to Saturday (September 11 – 14).

Set in the aftermath of a dictatorship in an unnamed country, the Olivier Award- winning play explores the after-effects of totalitarian regimes.  

Paulina Escobar (Emma Bird) is a housewife to prominent lawyer Gerado (Phil Perez). Following a chance meeting, charming stranger  Dr Miranda (Pete Cuffe) is invited to stay at the couple's home by Gerado. But Paulina has suffered at the hands of fascists during the regime, and believes that Miranda is her torturer. 

Director Margaret Connell said: “This piece is more relevant today than ever before. We are living in uncertain times and Death and the Maiden highlights the dangerous results that come from the rise of the far right.”

Exploring trauma, morality and redemption, the play asks if forgiveness is possible after such violent and repressive division. A film version, starring Sigourney Weaver and Sir Ben Kingsley, was released in 1994.

Now, this latest production sees the mother-daughter team behind much-loved fringe venue the Lantern Theatre collaborating creatively for the first time since the venue's closure. Margaret Connell takes the helm as director of the piece with Siobhan Noble as producer.

The experienced cast will be recognizable to audiences too - Emma Bird began her career with a lead role in Jimmy McGovern’s Needle starring alongside Pete Postlethwaite. With an extensive television career, Emma is best known for her role as series regular Maxine Price in Casualty. 

Phil Perez has several TV credits including Emmerdale and BBC’s Being Eileen, and local audiences may recognise him from his appearance in Ladies Night at Liverpool’s Royal Court. Peter Cuffe has appeared in a number of short films and theatre productions, including work with acclaimed Slung Low Theatre Company at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre. 

Ticket prices start from £10 and are on sale now. Wednesday's performance is 'pay what you decide'.

 Watch the trailer here.