The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher, now playing at the Everyman Theatre in Liverpool, is a provocative and powerful piece of theatre that begins as a culture clash comedy and becomes boldly arresting. Adapted from Hilary Mantel's 2014 short story, the play imagines a case of mistaken identity in a genteel Windsor home, where a man presumed to be a plumber turns out to have a gun and his eye on the neighboring hospital, awaiting the prime minister's emergence.
Hilary Mantel's Humor and Economy
The original story, exquisite in its economy, found humor in a grim thought experiment. The false sense of confidence in the first-time shooter, the odd juxtaposition of cups of tea and deadly intent, and the host's own lack of tolerance for the Tory leader all contributed to the dark comedy. On stage, this translates into a clash between a taciturn Pinter-like hardman and a cheery Ayckbourn divorcee, creating a funny and engaging dynamic.
Alexandra Wood's Adaptation
Credit for turning this delicate sketch into arresting theatre goes to playwright Alexandra Wood. She sensitively preserves Mantel's laugh lines while dramatizing the story's politics. Rooted in the era of IRA hunger strikers, the sinking of the Belgrano, and horrendous unemployment, the play explores power and powerlessness. It questions whether, in the face of a shared enemy, debating is too little and what direct action is too much.
Production and Staging
John Young's production initially presents Ceci Calf's interior set—with floral bedspread, stained wallpaper, and working kettle—as perhaps too literal. However, at a key moment, the set is ripped apart, and the two-hander springs into theatrical life. Full-size dolls in blue Thatcher dresses rain down from above as actors Robbie O'Neill and Anita Reynolds, perfectly mismatched, fall into a metaphorical netherworld of possible futures. Simisola Majekodunmi's stormy lighting and Kieran Lucas's techno-driven sound design enhance the intensity, while Wood carves out space to explore the ramifications of Mantel's story without upsetting its structure. The result is a bold and provocative adaptation.
The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher runs at the Everyman Theatre, Liverpool, until 23 May.
