
The Handmaid's Tale Tickets
Resistance. Rebellion. Redemption. A dystopian world where hope prevails against all oddsThis production is recommended for ages 15+.
Performance dates
1 - 15 February 2024
Run time: 2 hours 45 minutes (one interval)
Includes interval
25 reviews
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- Reviews
Tickets for The Handmaid’s Tale are available to book now!
Memory is strength. Love is resistance. A powerful story of courage and survival in the face of repression, The Handmaid’s Tale is based on Margaret Atwood’s major novel of the same name. Poul Ruders’ opera features a score that draws on medieval chants and gospel music.
About The Handmaid’s Tale
Together with a minimalist libretto by Paul Bentley, this production captures the dissonant brutality of the Republic of Gilead.
Women have been entirely stripped of their freedom and rights in Gilead. Fertile women, Handmaids, are forced to reproduce with Commanders of the Republic. Terror is a daily reality for Handmaid Offred. She defies the regime, refusing to surrender her identity and independence.
This thought-provoking work, revived after a successful run in 2022, asks questions about State power and the fragility of freedom.
The creatives of The Handmaid’s Tale
Directed by Annilese Miskimmon, the ENO’s Artistic Director and conducted by Joana Carneiro, the production has an exceptional cast including mezzo-sopranos Kate Lindsey as Offred and Susan Bickley as her mother, with soprano Rachel Nicholls as Aunt Lydia, Avery Amereau as Serena Joy, James Creswell as The Commander and ENO Harewood Artist John Findon as Luke.
The Handmaid’s Tale tickets are available now!
The Handmaid’s Tale exposes the trauma of society and the potential issues that could create a dystopian world, this fascinating tale of women’s rights, follows a story that raises important questions about power, oppression, and gender inequality. Book your tickets now!
Content
Please be aware that this production contains some adult content which may not be suitable for young audiences.Access
BSL signed performance 8 February 2024, 19:30Recent Reviews
Excellent show
I do not usually write reviews but in this instance I feel I should ... Do not waste your money or your time. People left pre-intermission and a lot of empty chairs post-intermission due to people not coming back. I stayed until the end in hope something worth watching was going to happen. I feel like I lost a least 3h of my life and wish I was one of those who left early.
Didn’t enjoy it. Very repetitive, hard to follow any kind of story without a little more spoken word. More chanting than opera.
Although I can see necessary for scene setting I felt the first half was repetitively dark and atonal. The second half was really enjoyable.
Outstanding
It was terrible! Loads of people left during the first half and even more during the interval, including us!!
Woeful. His name is Nick. We call him Nick.
Excellent production
Dreadful dirge. Just chanting words in the same discordant rhythm. No light and shade to music. Not opera just a parody. Lead singer Lydia has a voice like fingernails down a blackboard. Cramped seating. Left at the interval along with hundreds of others.
Sorry but myself and a LOT of the audience did not enjoy this. We left during the interval and so did many others. Most of the singing/acting was right at the front of the stage. We had purposely bought tickets so we could see the subtitles. Unfortunately I could see the subtitles but a bar was in front of the rows we were sitting which meant we couldn't see the singers! Would I recommend this. Absolutely not. Waste of money!
We did enjoy the story. However, we felt it would have been better if there was more of a mix of singing and spoken words. Everything was sung and it made it difficult to get emersed in the story. This was due to the fact we were busy reading the words off the screen. The words were unclear when sung due to it being more of an opera than a musical. The acting was fabulous though.
This just didn’t work as an opera - the set was sparse and thank goodness for the subtitles as you couldn’t understand what they were singing. Unfortunately, we left in the interval with what seemed like half the audience - this was def not for me!
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