Let the chaos commence!

Staged in the striking setting of a disused print works in Northampton town centre, The Bacchae runs until the end of June while Blood Wedding in on the Royal stage.

A new version of Euripides’ Greek tragedy, The Bacchae, takes audiences into the underbelly of a modern city built on money and greed, where a riotous underground world is emerging.

The god of debauchery (and, interestingly, the theatre) Dionysus unleashes mayhem to seek revenge on the city that he thinks has forgotten him. This devastating, yet surprisingly comic tale, plunges audiences into an atmospheric world of dancing, drinking and laughter on the one hand… and murder, violence and retribution on the other.

Poetry and music combine in a brand new version of Federico García Lorca’s haunting masterpiece, Blood Wedding, where, in a close-knit community in rural Spain, a long-term feud between two warring households simmers under the burning sun. The two world premiere productions are performed in rotation by the same company of actors, and are directed by Royal & Derngate’s Artistic Director Laurie Sansom.

Completing the trilogy of plays that make up the heart of Festival Of Chaos is Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler which can be seen in July.

To check out the performance schedule for The Bacchae and Blood Wedding or to book tickets, call Royal & Derngate Box Office on 01604 624811 or visit www.royalandderngate.co.uk.

The Bacchae is performed in the Chronicle & Echo Printing Press Rooms (Earl Street, Northampton NN1 3HR) while Blood Wedding is staged in the Royal auditorium at Royal & Derngate.

Both run until June 30.