The Ballard of Maria Marten
By Beth Flintoff
In 1827, in a Suffolk barn, a young woman waited to meet her lover, not expecting that this night would be her last. The murder of Maria Marten and the story of the red barn, based on real events, has been told many times and in many ways, the focus often being on the gruesome details. Songs have been written about it and there has been much musing about whether Maria “deserved what she got”.
But here the playwright has reversed the telling. Yes it’s the story
of the murder but it’s an 'un-murdering'; the story of a brave young
woman’s struggle to survive in a man’s world told with affection and gentle humour.
“This is not a play about violence. It’s a play about the people that experience it; it’s a play about love.”
“A glorious piece of folk theatre”
The Times
This amateur production of The Ballad of Maria Marten
is presented by arrangement with Nick Hern Books
Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes including an interval.