This new version of Blood Wedding, translated by Jonathan Martin and Mary Ann Vargas, remained faithful to Lorca’s story and language, but sought to re-examine his universal work by drawing out similarities of Indian, Middle-Eastern and Gypsy cultures. The Gypsies followed a long trail from Rajasthan in India through to Southern Spain, itself under Moorish rule until the Fifteenth Century.
This production used thirteen actors and musicians with equally varied backgrounds, bringing their own histories to bear on a story which is legendary in any culture, but has resonance and profound meaning for us all.
Theatre historian, Susan Croft describes how Half Moon Theatre programming British Asian theatre and work by female playwrights in the mid 1980s, but was slow to produce such work in-house. The exception was the Young People’s Theatre, which championed bi-lingual work and the diversity of the local community. Interviewed by Alexia-Pyrrha Ashford.
John Turner was Artistic Director of Half Moon Theatre on Mile End Road from 1989 to 1990. He talks about Blood Wedding, a co-production with Asian Cooperative Theatre which he wanted to programme for the local Bangladeshi community. Interviewed by Rosie Vincent.
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