Blood Relations

Did she? Didn’t she? For years these questions have aroused the curiosity of the inhabitants of a little town in Massachusetts. Did Lizzie kill her parents?

Blood Relations is a story about killers and victims, about what is real and what is not, about what people let us believe and why we believe it. It’s based on the true story of the murder of Andrew Borden and his wife. The scene opens with an actress practising her part, she is a friend of Lizzie and she is the person who Lizzie will ask to play a game. The game consists of reliving the days before the tragedy with the actress playing Lizzie and Lizzie playing Bridget the housemaid. Old wounds will be reopened as Lizzie relives the difficult relationship with her stepmother, the hate she feels for her uncle and her problematic love towards her father.

The show is well-acted by Ceri Clutterbuck and Danielle Klentzeris, both performing two characters each, give proof of great versatility and extraordinary professionalism. The other actors also perfectly fit in the clothes of 19th century people, keeping the standard of the performance high. Jon Venn and Louise Wright are also fabulous and it’s hard not to feel affection for their characters at the end. Carrie Coggon’s excellent direction finished off a fantastic production.

Rosaria Sguegliar