★★★★ “Flintoff restores dignity to Maria… unexpectedly joyous”
- The Guardian
TOURING SPRING 2022
Eastern Angles and Matthew Linley Creative Projects in association with the Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
THE BALLAD OF MARIA MARTEN
By Beth Flintoff, Directed by Hal Chambers
A thrilling retelling of the story of Maria Marten and the Red Barn.
Summer, 1827. In a red barn Maria Marten awaits her lover. A year later her body is found.
It was an event that had all the hallmarks of a classic crime drama – a missing body, a country location, a disreputable squire and a village stuck in its age-old traditions. But in all this hysteria Maria’s own story gets lost.
Until now.
Hal Chambers and Beth Flintoff’s spine-tingling retelling rediscovers her story, bringing it back to vivid, urgent life.
Told through the eyes of Maria and the women who loved her this beautifully staged production brings the power of movement, music and storytelling together for a heart-stopping evening of theatrical magic.
Age guidance 12+
What the critics said…
“A glorious piece of folk theatre... a beautifully honed, all-female ensemble” ★★★★
- The Telegraph
“One of the best theatre experiences of the year”
- East Anglian Daily Times
“Flames lick at the stories that history has held on to, as instead of bloodied corpses, we get to see full-bodied women – vibrant and complex – with their lives of infinitely more value than their deaths.” ★★★★
- The Guardian
“Extraordinary, brilliant and powerful” ★★★★★
— Charles Hutch Press
“A thrilling and poignant retelling”
— Grapevine Live
“Powerful and thought-provoking... gives us the thrills of a whodunit with a powerful social commentary” ★★★★
— The Reviews Hub
“Rich and transporting” ★★★★
— The Stage
“It is vital, layered and empowered, a beautiful piece of theatre” ★★★★
— A Younger Theatre
“This is a gem of a production”
— On Yorkshire Magazine
“A theatre lovers dream”
— Manchester Theatres
“A captivating, eye-opening piece of theatre which gives life again to its victim, a stellar piece of theatre with a talented cast'”
— North West End
2022 Tour
Tues 8 - Wed 9 February
Mercury Theatre, Colchester
Tues 15 - Sat 19 February
Wiltons Music Hall, London
Tues 22 - Wed 23 February
Festival Theatre, Malvern
Tue 1 - Wed 2 March
Marina Theatre, Lowestoft
Fri 25 - Sat 26 February
Ustinov Studio, Bath
Fri 4 - Sat 5 March
The Haymarket, Basingstoke
Tue 8 - Sat 12 March
Exeter Nortcott Theatre
Tues 22 - Sat 26 March
Oldham Coliseum Theatre
Thu 17 - Sat 19 March
New Wolsey, Ipswich
Tue 29 March – Sat 2 April
Theatre by the Lake, Keswick
Sat 19 March