Mara
11th January 2025 7:00pm (Doors open at 6:00 pm)
Kirkgate Centre
“Dominic Kelly conjures an entire world single-handed from an almost empty stage”. Lancaster Guardian 1868.
Discharged from the army, Morten scrapes a living on the edge of the Swedish forest. Suddenly he begins to suffer nightmares and mysterious visits as he sleeps. He’s told he is plagued by a Mara – a possessed person who unwittingly visits him at night. To free himself, he must discover the Mara's identity. But who is it?
In order to discover their identity, Morten begins paying close attention to everything around him. As he does, he begins to understand his neighbours’ lives for the first time, and the life of the ancient forest around him. But the night-time visits become more intense and, as the forest itself becomes threatened, Morten embarks on an audacious course of action…
Entertaining, immersive and moving, this solo storytelling performance is a whodunnit a dive into the dreamscape of Swedish folklore a love story a journey through Europe's ancient forests a playful look at our relationship with sleep and a rummage into what it means to be awake. Married into a family from northern Sweden, Dominic knows intimately the landscape, nature, culture and folklore of northern Sweden; in MARA, he takes you on an unforgettable journey into this place, though experiences we can all relate to.
The story is told from stage empty except for a beautiful, old-fashioned Swedish settle-bed. As Dominic draws the audience into the world of the story, it turns out the settle has a little more life in it than at first it seems…
Dominic Kelly’s warm, witty and powerful storytelling has captivated audiences around the world. His UK venues include the Barbican, National Theatre & The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival.
“That was a night and a half: witty, understated storytelling with a huge emotional punch; ancient trees rooting themselves on the stage, the audience, completely spellbound during the show, couldn’t stop talking afterwards”. Marion Leeper, Programme Director, Cambridge Storytellers
“Mara was a total experience. The extraordinary cinematic style made me feel like I was watching a film – or rather, standing physically in the scene with the characters. I was swept along. Fantastic!” Joe Dodd, audience member, Yorkshire