Victory

Brutal and brilliant, this controversial play by Howard Barker is set in the aftermath of Charles II’s Restoration on the throne of England. The central character is Mrs Bradshaw, a 17th century widow fighting to give her puritan husband a proper burial — but to achieve this, she must take on a world where base instincts are rampant and language is wielded as a weapon. How much of her own human dignity is she willing to risk? Powerful and challenging, this play may enrage you, but it won’t leave you.

Warning: Victory is deliberately offensive. The playwright brilliantly explores the use of language as a weapon. It is not for the squeamish and contains very strong language.