The Ballad of Maria Marten is a really interesting play. Based on a real-life event, it tells the story of a young girl who was murdered in 1827 and buried in a red barn in Suffolk. It not only looks at what happens to her, but at the attitudes towards women at this time, class and societal pressures.
No violence is ever shown on stage and the account of what happened to her is presented to the audience by Maria herself, both through dialogue and through Maria narrating, so you understand how she feels about her murder, before, during and after it happens. With Maria being the central voice around the circumstances that led up to her own murder, we understand the relationships she had with the people in her life, especially with men and how she was treated. Flintoff's unique storytelling really brings the notorious events to life, and I was so engrossed.
Originally performed by an all-female cast, I think this would be an excellent piece for practical work. There are multirole-playing opportunities, on stage costume and scene changes and lots of emotionally charged scenes.
It also brings up so many issues prevalent in today's society, with dilemmas around relationships, coercive control, women's roles and the way women and girls are treated. It really made me think about how trapped Maria was in her position in life and how many people this still applies to today. Although attitudes have changed hugely in the 194 years since this event took place, in many ways they also haven't. As part of her research Flintoff notes that she ‘spent time with an incredible group of women who have all experienced domestic violence or abuse’ and it ‘changed the direction of the writing’. She dedicates it to the Lighthouse Women's Aid, Ipswich, reminding us how important it is to tell these stories.
It is so crucial that we realise how long women have been at the hands of abusers and why it must be stopped. Why are two women still being killed every week by their partners in this country? Flintoff's play may be set in the past but it's definitely written to highlight things that we must seek to change in the future. A captivating read.