Violet, a self harming teenager is feeling lost and confused since her parents divorced and she was forced to move from London to Nuneaton. She finds comfort in a local museum where she spends her time sketching the death mask of Mary Ball, one of the last women in England to be executed for the murder of her husband. One evening, before the museum closes, the mask begins to call Violet. She puts on the death mask and is transported back to Victorian London. Here, she befriends Mary and tries to change her fate, with consequences for Violet and Mary. Mary Ball is a tale of memory, injustice, grief and friendship. Featured on the Eliane Paige Show, BBC Radio 2 in October 2024 Mary Ball is a fully ready show with book, lyrics, music and orchestrations by the excellent Kevin Lynch.
NOTE: Mary Ball is currently in revision and will be available for licensing soon!
Mary Ball – Female, 20s–30s. A young working-class woman navigating trauma, love, and societal judgement in Victorian England. Complex, poetic, resilient.
Violet – Female, late teens. A modern-day person, drawn into Mary’s world. Scarred, artistic. Functions as narrator, witness, and mirror.
Jack Ball – Male, 20s–30s. Mary’s charming but volatile husband. Ambitious, narcissistic, and ultimately abusive.
Reverend Chapman – Male, 40s–60s. A hypocritical, predatory preacher. Conceals lust and control behind righteousness.
Will Flitch – Male, 20s–30s. A foreman at the Mill. Kind-hearted, emotionally open, and respectful, but lacking emotional resilience.
Bob – Male, 60s. A museum guard in the present day. Kind, reserved, and connected to Mary through family lineage.Supporting Characters
Clara – Female, 20s-30s. A mill worker. Tough, loyal, defends Mary.
Evie – Female, 20s–30s. A mill worker. Warm, sarcastic, protective.
Monty – Male, 20s–30s. Chapman’s assistant. Comedic, awkward, later reveals deeper layers of identity.
John, Dave, Johnny, Davie– Male, 20s–40s. Jack’s drinking companions. Rough, humorous, products of toxic masculinity.
The Boss – Male, 40s+. Owner of the mill. Cruel, dismissive, capitalist villain archetype.
Female Ensemble – Mill girls, townsfolk. Form the emotional and social chorus of the piece.
Male Ensemble – Townspeople, drunks, authority figures, husbands. Reflect and reinforce the era’s pressures on women.
Electric Guitar 1, Acoustic Guitar 2, Drums, Bass, Keys, Reed: Tenor Sax, Flute