Britain's What's On Event Guide
'Too Much To Lose' : A New Irish Play
In early autumn 1920, Irish heiress Muriel MacSwiney was rarely out of the British newspapers. An unlikely revolutionary, born into wealth and privilege Muriel grew up increasingly uncomfortable with the poverty and injustice surrounding her. An active supporter of political change in Ireland, it wasn't long before she recognised her political soulmate in Terence MacSwiney later to become Lord Mayor of Cork. Their ‘meeting of minds’ led to marriage cut tragically short by Terence's arrest and imprisonment in Brixton prison. Terence went on hunger strike, losing his struggle after seventy-four days.
On 27th October 1920 an estimated 30,000 mourners filed past Terence’s coffin reposing in St George’s Cathedral, Southwark two days after his death. Many more lined the streets as the coffin was brought through London to be taken back to Ireland.
The Lord Mayor of Cork’s hunger strike brought the cause for Irish self-rule into the heart of the capital. MacSwiney’s protest at his jail sentence was rarely out of the papers causing King George Vth concern about the effect that this could have on Britain’s reputation overseas. One story rarely told is what it might have been like for Muriel, his wife, who supported him throughout.
This new play, a dramatisation based on historical research attempts to do this as Muriel, now in
her sixties and living in England looks back on those turbulent years from 1915-1923.
On 27th October 1920 an estimated 30,000 mourners filed past Terence’s coffin reposing in St George’s Cathedral, Southwark two days after his death. Many more lined the streets as the coffin was brought through London to be taken back to Ireland.
The Lord Mayor of Cork’s hunger strike brought the cause for Irish self-rule into the heart of the capital. MacSwiney’s protest at his jail sentence was rarely out of the papers causing King George Vth concern about the effect that this could have on Britain’s reputation overseas. One story rarely told is what it might have been like for Muriel, his wife, who supported him throughout.
This new play, a dramatisation based on historical research attempts to do this as Muriel, now in
her sixties and living in England looks back on those turbulent years from 1915-1923.
Tuesday 7th May - Saturday 11th May at 7.45pm
Tickets £12.00- £16 are available via this link.
Tickets £12.00- £16 are available via this link.
Blue Elephant Theatre
59A Bethwin Rd, London SE5 0XT
Tue 7 May to Sat 11 May