Merit at The Finborough by Alexandra Wood explores the unravelling relationship between a mother and daughter during the financial crash in 2013 Spain. A fast paced two-hander, the play confronts the morality of ambition, the nature of altruism and how success affects our responsibilities to family and friends.
The London premiere of award-winning playwright Alexandra Wood’s new play Merit kicks off the Finborough Theatre’s spring season with a four week run from 1 March. Set in Spain in 2013, Merit explores what people will be driven to during times of financial chaos, when bankers are getting filthy rich whilst others are left unable to support their families. Wood’s previous plays include The Human Ear (Paines Plough and UK tour), Man to Man (Wales Millennium Centre), Ages (Old Vic New Voices), The Initiate (Paines Plough – winner of a Scotsman Fringe First), The Empty Quarter (Hampstead Theatre) and the radio play Twelve Years (BBC Radio 4). She is a past winner of the George Devine Award for Most Promising Playwright and was the Big Room Playwright-in-Residence at Paines Plough in 2013. Director Tom Littler returns to the Finborough Theatre having achieved a record seven OffWestEnd Award nominations last year … Read more
Merit has a timeless quality, examining themes relevant to any society going through economic upheaval. It also explores broader ideas such as our responsibilities towards others when money is short: Patricia questions Sofia’s decision to give to charity when people are losing their homes just as many people question whether countries in recession should continue to give aid to the developing world.
