Casting announced for MARYLAND at Theatre Royal Stratford East

Theatre Royal Stratford East have announced the cast for Maryland, Lucy Kirkwood’s new play written in response to the murders of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa, originally performed at the Royal Court in the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs in October 2021.

Kirkwood said: “This play was for many years a private conversation with myself. The horrific murders of Sarah Everard and Sabina Nessa this year have galvanised me into making it public. I hesitate to even call it a play when it is simply a howl, a way of expressing what I feel about a culture of violence against women, but I am sharing it because I wonder if it might express a little of what other people feel about it too.” 

Directed by Eva Sampson, the cast includes Anya Chalotra as Mary 2, Alex Jarrett as Mary, Tamzin Outhwaite as DC Eddowes and Michael Shaeffer as DC Moody.

Playing the Furies will be members of the Theatre Royal Stratford East Front of House staff and Young Company members who will include: Melody Adeniran, Elsie Frangou, Thalia Gambe, Jade Leanne, Ella McCallum and Maya Bartley O’Dea.

Artistic Director of Theatre Royal Stratford East, Nadia Fall, said: “I saw Maryland a couple of weeks ago as an audience member at the Royal Court, and I found it surprisingly funny, thought provoking and ultimately utterly devastating. It is such a compelling piece of creative activism - raising the alarm to the heinous culture of violence against women. The brilliant spirit of Kirkwood’s and The Court’s endeavour encourages the piece to be mounted as far and wide as possible and I really felt that it had to be brought to our audiences here in East London”.

Tickets are on sale, with performances taking place at Stratford Youth Zone, Theatre Square, London, E15 1BX (formerly Stratford Circus). Audiences are encouraged make a donation to Rape Crisis England & Wales when they book their tickets.

For more information and to book tickets, please click here.