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Jonathan Dove

Marx in London!

UK premiere

Theatre Royal Glasgow:
13, 15 & 17 February 2024, 7.15pm

Festival Theatre Edinburgh:
22 & 24 February 2024, 7.15pm

‘a genuine comedy... Dove’s score is bright, rhythmically insistent and pacy.’
- The Guardian on the world premiere of Marx in London (2018)

★★★★ - The Guardian
★★★★ - Bachtrack


London, 1871. The spectre of communism might be haunting Europe, but Karl Marx’s demons are far more mundane. Watched by a spy, chased by debt collectors, harried by his family (legitimate and not), and rescued repeatedly from financial ruin by Friedrich Engels, a single madcap day is the backdrop for a run of misadventures and mistakes. Marx might have envisioned an economic system that would restore order and equality to the workers of the world, but his own affairs are in chaos. Amidst this storm in a teacup, can he find an hour to write?

Marx in London! takes the great thinker off his pedestal, interweaving zany humour with moments of pathos and poignancy. For the UK premiere of Jonathan Dove’s opera, director Stephen Barlow (praised by The Arts Desk for his ‘slick’ Flight in 2018) and designer Yannis Thavoris (praised by Bachtrack for his ‘splendid’ Ariodante in 2016 and ‘ingenious’ Madama Butterfly in 2014) create a kinetic new production, plumbing the frivolity and profundity of one man’s existence.

This grand farce is led by Roland Wood (Il trittico 2023) as Karl Marx, with Orla Boylan and Lucy Schaufer as the long-suffering women in his life. Rebecca Bottone (The Mikado 2016) and William  Morgan (Candide 2022) take the respective roles of Marx’s eager youngest daughter and her hapless suitor. Scottish tenors Alasdair Elliott (The Miserly Knight 2022) and Jamie MacDougall (Il trittico 2023) take the roles of Engels and the Spy respectively.

 

Kindly supported by The Alexander Gibson Circle and Scottish Opera’s New Commissions Circle
Part of Scottish Opera's 2023/24 season

Show Details

Running time:
Approximately 2 hours and 25 minutes including a 20-minute interval.

Language: 
Sung in English with English supertitles.

Ticket price:
From £21.50 to £98 – prices vary by venue

Concessions:
£15 tickets for Under 26s >>
Concessions vary by venue

Read more about Audio Description & Touch Tours
Audio Describers 2016 credit Tim Morozzo (1).jpg

Audio Description & Touch Tours

Designed for those with a visual impairment, our audio-described performances feature a live commentary describing what’s happening on stage without compromising the music. Touch Tours also available.

Read more about Venue information
Theatre Royal Glasgow illuminated from the inside on a cloudy evening

Venue information

Find out more about box office opening hours, travel information and access within the building in all venues.

Related Events

Pre-show Talk: Marx in London!

Pre-show talk

Get closer to the action and see into the minds of the creatives behind the production

Thursday, 15 February - Saturday, 24 February 2024
More info about Pre-show Talk: Marx in London!

Cast & Creatives

Karl Marx
Roland Wood

Jenny Marx
Orla Boylan

Tussi Marx
Rebecca Bottone

Freddy
William Morgan

Helene
Lucy Schaufer

Friedrich Engels
Alasdair Elliott

Spy
Jamie MacDougall

Pawnbroker
John Molloy

Franz
Chuma Sijeqa

Melanzane
Paul Hopwood

Libretto
Charles Hart

Conductor
David Parry

Director
Stephen Barlow

Designer
Yannis Thavoris

Lighting Designer
Rory Beaton

Video Designer
PJ McEvoy

Watch

Jonathan Dove on the UK premiere of Marx in London! 2024

Audio Described Performances

Mention opera and most people think of singing and music – but this is only part of the overall experience. What about scenery, costumes, lighting, direction and choreography? 

For those with a visual impairment, our audio description service provides a live commentary during the show, relating the action on stage without compromising the music. As part of the experience, a recorded introduction to the opera is available in advance, as well as a live audio introduction before the start of the performance. 

Patrons with a visual impairment can also book onto a free touch tour – an opportunity to go backstage and become more familiar with the set, scenery, props and costumes. 

Please book in advance for audio-described performances and touch tours by calling the venue box offices:


Theatre Royal Glasgow:
17 February 2024, 7.15pm

Contact

Festival Theatre Edinburgh:
24 February 2024, 7.15pm

COntact


Find out more about our Audio Description and Touch Tour services>>

Season 2023/24

View all

Daphne

Strauss
Tuesday, 05 September - Sunday, 10 December 2023
More info about Daphne

Hansel and Gretel

Humperdinck
Thursday, 14 December - Saturday, 16 December 2023
More info about Hansel and Gretel

Opera Highlights 2023/24

2023/24
Sunday, 11 February - Saturday, 23 March 2024
More info about Opera Highlights 2023/24

The French Collection

Gala Concert
Friday, 01 March - Sunday, 03 March 2024
More info about The French Collection

La traviata

Verdi
Wednesday, 08 May - Saturday, 15 June 2024
More info about La traviata
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