The Testament of Mary, Barbican

How do you re-imagine an icon? Colm Tóibín’s 2012 Man Booker Prize-shortlisted novel attempted to answer just that question, controversially challenging our inherited cultural perceptions of the Virgin Mary. Now a celebrated theatrical adaptation, fresh from rave reviews on Broadway, is about to follow suit on the stage of the Barbican Theatre.

The Testament of Mary was a reaction to Tóibín’s Catholic upbringing in Ireland and the role that the Virgin Mary played as an untouchable icon looming over everyday life. Although the iconic image of this Biblical figure is impossible to get away from, Tóibín wanted to let her speak, offering her the voice that she is denied in the New Testament. Writing about the book in the New York Times, he said: 'I wanted to create a mortal woman, someone who has lived in the world'. 

This is the gauntlet laid down to director Deborah Warner and actress Fiona Shaw, who are reunited for this project following several previous collaborations. Shaw will also be a familiar face from the big screen, having starred in films as diverse as the Harry Potter series and the award-winning My Left Foot, as well as HBO's True Blood series. In this monologue, which is one of the most hotly anticipated offerings in the Barbican’s new season, Shaw’s formidable talent should be allowed plenty of room to shine, as her performance is stripped – quite literally – bare.

Reworking one of the founding narratives of Western culture, not to mention making it into compelling theatre, is no easy task. But with a track record including plays by Samuel Beckett and Bertolt Brecht, as well as taking on the infamous mythical figure of Medea, we can’t imagine anyone better than Warner and Shaw to grapple with this meaty material. Judging by the rapturous response it received in New York, this is not to be missed.

Ticket price: £16-35

Address and map: Silk St, EC2Y 8DS

Nearest Tubes: Barbican, St Paul’s and Moorgate