Everyman Stages Mantel's 'Assassination of Thatcher'
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- Everyman Theatre opened the stage adaptation of Hilary Mantel's short story "The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher" in Liverpool.
- Alexandra Wood adapted Mantel's 2014 story for the stage, saying the provocative title was meant to spark reaction while the play explores violence against politicians and disenfranchised youth.
- Lord Tebbit condemned the original story, calling it a "sick book from a sick mind", a criticism echoed by former press secretary Bernard Ingham, who called it "vindictive".
- Jade Marsden criticized the Everyman's decision to stage the play, arguing it is inappropriate for the city.
- The Assassination of Margaret Thatcher is set in 1983 and follows a fictional Liverpool sniper who attempts to assassinate Margaret Thatcher at a Windsor window after being let into a flat by a woman who thinks he's a plumber.
Why it matters: The Liverpool Everyman theatre gains cultural relevance and ticket sales, while critics of the play see it as a flashpoint for political tension, potentially deepening community divisions.
