A tense interplay of power, oppression, and privilege made to shine by two
incredible performances.
Walking into the world premiere of The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher at the Everyman,
Liverpool, the curtain is already up. The set for the evening is on full display and bustling; Anita
Reynolds as middle aged divorcee Caroline moves around the space quietly, chopping vegetables,
folding laundry, performing a quietly lonely domesticity inside a warm home of pinks and greens.
She is one of only two characters in this tense one-room play, based on Hilary Mantel’s inflammatory
short story of the same name. Adapted for stage for the first time by Alexandra Wood, and directed by
John Young, the play makes up one of three of the Everyman’s ‘Made in Liverpool’ plays showcasing
Northern talent.
Act One begins with the arrival of Robbie O’Neill’s Brendan, a young man from Liverpool with only
one thing on his mind: to shoot Margaret Thatcher out of unsuspecting Caroline’s bedroom window.
Looking at the set before the show begins, there are no signs of extravagance or wealth. Caroline’s
home is cosy and homely, but to Brendan the quiet comforts scream rich. She is an older, black,
middle-class woman living in Windsor and attending Arts Club lectures, he is a young, white,
working class man from the North. The story is less about Margaret Thatcher herself, and more about
the interplay of oppression and privilege experienced by Caroline and Brendan based on their sex,
class, and race.
Both Reynolds and O’Neill deliver absolutely fantastic, impassioned performances as they argue over
the right course of action, and all the possible ‘what ifs’ and outcomes of shooting ‘Maggie’, or not.
The play doesn’t preach or try to convince the audience one way or another, but lets the characters
speak for themselves in a way that makes both viewpoints understandable. To kill, or not to kill?
The play is tense, gripping, and emotive, with the balance of power between Caroline and Brendan
constantly shifting. At times it is raw and heartfelt, at others sweet and humorous. The reception from
the audience as a whole was brilliant, with every joke landing and laughter and gasps coming at the
right moments. Anita Reynolds even receives hearty applause and shouts of affirmation during a
powerful second act speech.
The sole drawback comes from the beginning of the second act, where the play unexpectedly loses its
way and delves into a bizarre, abstract scene full of flashing strobes and fake corpses that drags on too
long and ultimately adds nothing to the narrative. Fortunately, it returns to Caroline’s kitchen for the
climax.
Considering the contrast of a black woman and a white man from very different backgrounds and
lived experiences is central to the themes of the play; more could have been done to showcase
intersectional narratives of power, particularly pertaining to race. However, as a whole it is very
successful exploration of power and conflict, and the way prejudice and social castes can divide and
weaken communities who should be in solidarity. A brilliant adaptation with stellar performances of an incendiary novel that remains ever relevant to today’s politics and social turmoil.
‘The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher’ runs at the Everyman Theatre until Saturday 23rd May. Tickets here.