The House of Bernarda Alba

[Phantom of London]

Caught this in Manchester this afternoon.

Reminded me a lot of Ibsen's Dolls House, with morality and a strong matriarch as the protagonist in the centre.

This play speaks of the political climate today as the world lurches dangerously to the right and a real risk of a facist uprising, the author was executed for being gay in a unsteady Spain That sympathised with the Nazis. The widowed matriarch reflects facism - how she rules her roost of 5 daughters with an iron fist. She wears the trousers alright, as she acts like some despot dictator ruthlessly controlling her female offspring.

Beautifully acted by a 'diverse', cast that really brings a third dimension to this piece.

This deserves to be seen by a wider and a London audience, ideally would be replicated in the Dorfman or Young Vic.

Terrifying but otherwise brilliant.

5 stars.

[mallardo]

Yes, it's a great play. The Almeida did a production of it a few years back giving it a middle east setting, which worked very well. It has also been turned into a brilliant chamber musical by Michael John LaChiusa.

[Phantom of London]

With that one given a Middle East setting, I would have thought it spoke for its time, with the Iraq war , which might not resonate too much today. Saying that I didn't see it.

This was a similar twist that works and as a such it is vital this is taken to a wider audience.