The Ballad of Maria Marten
“It’s been a year since I died, and still nobody has found me.”
Summer, 1827. In a red barn in Suffolk, Maria Marten awaits her lover. A year later, hidden in a grain sack beneath the floor of the barn, Maria’s body is discovered, barely identifiable – and a nationwide manhunt begins.
The Red Barn Murder has all the hallmarks of a classic crime drama: a missing body, a rural setting, a disreputable squire, and a village bound by age-old traditions. Yet while the case sent shockwaves throughout the country, Maria’s own story was largely forgotten.
The Ballad of Maria Marten rediscovers that story, bringing it back to vivid and urgent life. Beth Flintoff’s acclaimed play reimagines one of Britain’s most infamous true crime stories, shifting the focus away from sensationalism and placing Maria herself at the heart of the narrative.
Performed by a six-strong all-female cast, this powerful and inventive production combines storytelling, music, movement and ensemble performance to create a theatrical experience that is both moving and unforgettable.
From Beth Flintoff, writer: “The murder of Maria Marten is a story that has been told and retold for the last two hundred years, with much lip-smacking enthusiasm for the gruesome details and unsubtle musings over whether or not she ‘deserved it’. Here is the reversal of that telling. It’s the story of Maria’s murder, but it’s an un-murdering.”
“This is not a play about violence. It’s a play about the people that experience it; it’s a play about love.”
THE BALLAD OF MARIA MARTEN plays at the Crown Wharf Theatre, Stone on 9th to 12th September 2026
Tickets are just £16 Adults / £14 Concessions
Tickets are only available here on the Crown Wharf Theatre website.
Recommended Age 14+