A critically acclaimed Irish play is coming to Unity Theatre this week

A powerful and deeply moving play written by a survivor of Ireland’s Mother and Baby institutions arrives at Unity Theatre this month as part of a UK and Ireland tour.

Following a sell out run across the north of Ireland, The Marian Hotel opens in Liverpool on 6^th and 7^th February, bringing to the stage the real life experiences of writer Caitriona Cunningham, who gave birth to her daughter while confined in the Marianvale Mother and Baby Home in Newry.

Produced by Sole Purpose Productions, the play is set in 1979 during the Troubles and follows 19 year old Kitty as she enters the institution after becoming pregnant. Alongside other young women, she endures a brutal regime of discipline, shame and forced labour, while moments of humour and solidarity emerge as the women ironically nickname the institution The Marian Hotel.

The production has been widely praised for its powerful performances and compassionate storytelling. The Gown described it as “hard hitting” with “beautiful performances that impact the audience in a way a BBC Panorama special couldn’t”. Belfast Times Magazine called the cast “outstanding”, while The Seamus Heaney Centre hailed the play as “a perfect piece of writing and stagecraft” that confronts “the degradation of being told what’s best for you”.

Director Patricia Byrne said the play confronts “a dark time in Irish history, bringing the voices of women who were silenced and shamed back into the heart of our communities”.

Cunningham added that she hopes the play “opens conversations that challenge shame and silence around a history that still resonates today”.

The Liverpool performances are supported by Fréa Renewing Roots, which provides emotional and practical support to survivors of Irish institutions now living in the north of England.

Patrick Rodgers from Fréa Renewing Roots said the play offers “a vital first hand account of institutions that shaped so many lives” and that bringing it to Liverpool ensures “this story is seen and heard by the communities it continues to affect”.

If you are a former resident of a Mother and Baby institution, Magdalene Laundry, residential school or reformatory now living in the north of England and would like support, you can contact Patrick Rodgers at Fréa Renewing Roots on 07432 138682 or email patrick.rodgers@frea.org.uk.

As one audience member and adoptee described it, The Marian Hotel is “more than just a play, it is a cathartic experience, a call for acknowledgement, and a tribute to all the mothers, daughters and children affected by this history”.

The production is supported by Arts Council England, Culture Ireland and generous donations from the public. Sole Purpose is core funded by Arts Council Northern Ireland. Thanks to The National Lottery players.