What’s it about?
This production of To Love After Death sweeps us into a dystopian Bradford in the near future. After the U.K has been suffering from a number of terrorist attacks and the population’s islamophobia brewing, muslims are forced to convert to Christianity. When the Prime Minister, Mr. Philip, passes a law preventing recent converts from gathering, the wealthy ex-muslim MP, Mr. Malec, encourages the South Asian community to rebel. His plucky teenage daughter, Clara, is enrolled in year 12 at the local school, where most of the action takes place. Álvaro, a romantic fellow ex-Muslim in her class, falls for Clara but she is encouraged to date white, christian year 13, Mendoza, in an effort to calm the hostile environment between the two communities. Clara obliges – only as a guise to get close enough to hack his Twitter – but Mendoza is secretly dating Álvaro’s sister, year 11 Isabel. Meanwhile, Álvaro takes year 9 Alcuzcuz under his wing, a silly but sweet boy who recently emigrated from Pakistan and is adjusting to life in England. White, working-class neo-nazi skinhead Garcés scorns the Malec family for the wealth and power they hold. Simultaneously, the scheming Valór, a muslim, climbs the political ladder. Tensions and teenage impulses rise until the play ends in tragedy when some students bring knives to their school prom. How far will Álvaro go to avenge the people he loves?
Why should you watch it?
This modernised production of Calderón’s tragicomedy addresses issues of religion, race, gender, and class, as war is exchanged for gang violence and marriage for prom invitations. A heart-wrenching play, To Love serves as a chilling reminder of the culture of toxic masculinity and insidious racism, which stretches all the way from Early Modern Spain to schools in England.
Don’t miss out! Buy your tickets now: theatre.ticketmaster/ToLoveAfterDeath.co.uk
