The Crystal Den

Through the eyes of the South African born feminist Olive Schreiner, friend, witness and narrator of Eleanor Marx's tragedy, the plot explores real events in the last two years of Eleanor's life, uncovering the secrets, lies and betrayals over two generations of the Marx family

The play is set in the 1890s and concerns Edward Aveling, Eleanor's common-law husband, whose secret marriage leads to Eleanor's suicide. Eleanor also discovers the scandalous illegitimacy of her half-brother, Freddy Demuth - his mother was the Marx's family's housekeeper

With the help of her friend Israel Zangwill, Eleanor discovers her Jewish identity that her father, Karl Marx, rejected

"Real depth and humility. Brilliant allusions to The Doll's House, revealing added layers of complexity in the characters' web of relationships. The link between Eleanor and Nora in the closing moments has real force...The Crystal Den is very unpretentious and subtle" ~ RSC