Death and the Maiden Tickets

The Comedy Theatre are proud to announce their next production as a new staging of Ariel Dorfman's dark and powerful play 'Death and the Maiden'. This play explores the process of Chile's difficult transition to democracy through the story of a former political prisoner who was tortured and raped under a repressive regime, and her attempts to lead a normal life after the regime has fallen. The play stars Thandie Newton, is directed by Jeremy Herrin, and will run at the Comedy from the 13^th of October 2011 to the 21^st of January 2012 – tickets are sure to disappear quickly, so don't miss out.

Paulina Salas had been imprisoned on political grounds by the unjust leadership of an unnamed South American country, where she was continually attacked and humiliated through rape and torture. The ringleader of her torment was a doctor who took great care to conceal his identity as he revelled in the pain he caused. The play gets its name from the Schubert piece which the doctor would play as he assaulted Paulina. Years later, with the country under new rule, Paulina is living a quiet life in the country with her husband Gerardo, when her traumatic past makes a sudden return to plague her once more. Paulina identifies a stranger who has helped Gerardo out as the sadistic doctor of her captive life, but the stranger protests his innocence, and Gerardo is unconvinced. As Paulina begins to spiral out of control, it remains to be seen who this man really is, and whether her demons can truly be excorcised.

'Death and the Maiden' was written in 1990, and first staged at the Royal Court Theatre in 1991, going on to win the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play in 1992. It was adapted into a film in 1994, directed by Roman Polanski and starring Sigourney Weaver, Ben Kingsley and Stuart Wilson. Ariel Dorfman, who is a successful academic, author and activist as well as a playwright, has always been a forceful advocate of human rights, and this play is regarded by many as his most important contribution to the field in that respect. This production stars Thandie Newton as Paulina; Thandie has received recognition for her roles in films such as 'Crash' and 'The Pursuit of Happyness'. Director Jeremy Herrin has recently directed 'Much Ado About Nothing' at the Globe Theatre, and 'The Heretic' at the Royal Court Theatre.