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Martin McDonagh’s play “Hangmen”.
For this black comedy, British playwright Martin McDonagh drew on real historical events and figures from as far back as 1965, when capital punishment by hanging was officially abolished in England and the last of His Majesty’s hangmen, or executioners, suddenly found themselves out of work. The play was first staged in 2015 at London’s Royal Court Theatre. “Hangmen” received the Laurence Olivier Award in Britain and the New York Critics Circle Award for Best New Play.
Director Alvis Hermanis says: “Comedy plus a very strange kind of poeticism - that is perhaps how one could try to define the genre in which playwright Martin McDonagh writes his plays. This is a crime story where, unlike in Sherlock Holmes and Agatha Christie detective stories, the audience has to figure out for themselves in the end who the real culprit was. We chose this play because in our beloved Latvia lately it has become very important for everyone to keep everyone else under close watch, monitor them, and of course punish them immediately. Preferably in such a way that they do not get up afterward and there is peace.”
The performance takes place at 25 Lāčplēša Street, in the Great Hall.
Running time: 3 h 30 min (2 acts).
Premiere on 20 September 2024.
Author - Martin McDonagh
Director - Alvis Hermanis
Set and costume designer - Kristīne Jurjāne
Lighting designer - Lauris Johansons
Cast - Andris Keišs, Baiba Broka, Gundars Āboliņš, Kaspars Znotiņš, Jevgēnijs Isajevs, Ričards Murāns or Ivars Krasts, Jānis Skutelis, Ritvars Logins, Toms Harjo, Dāvids Pētersons, Evelīna Priede
