Dance of Death, after August Strindberg | Adapted and Directed by Matthew Short | Co-produced with Teater Dictat | Joan Knight Studio
Set in an ageing, leaking house on an island in the North Sea, the adaptation follows Edgar & Alex as they approach their silver wedding anniversary. Trapped in a relationship characterised by boredom, resentment and emotional dependency, the couple find their uneasy existence increasingly threatened by rising sea levels and the sounds of a nearby cèilidh. The arrival of Alex's cousin Kirsty, a climate officer, disrupts their fragile domestic equilibrium and sets in motion a darkly comic psychological struggle.
Matthew Short's adaptation introduces a queer perspective to Strindberg's exploration of marriage, intimacy and power, while placing the characters' personal conflicts against the backdrop of an escalating environmental crisis.
The distinctly Scottish setting, humour and cultural references provide a contemporary context for the original play's examination of human relationships, allowing it to engage with themes that extend beyond its historical origins.
The production brings together Perth Theatre and Teater Dictat, an independent Swedish theatre company based in Halland, through a reciprocal international collaboration. Short, an internationally experienced dramaturg and writer now based in Perth, has developed much of his professional practice in Sweden, establishing artistic relationships and expertise across adaptation, dramaturgy and intercultural performance.
Johan Svensson, Artistic Director of Teater Dictat, performed in the Swedish production and will also appear in the Scottish production, providing artistic continuity across the partnership.
Following its première at Varbergs Teater and a Swedish-language tour in autumn 2026, including performances in Gothenburg, Malmö, Stockholm and Halmstad, the production will be presented in English, before touring to Eastgate Arts Centre, Peebles; Theatre Royal, Dumfries; the Regal Theatre, Bathgate; the Lemon Tree, Aberdeen; Cumbernauld Theatre; and the Beacon, Greenock.
Build your season · Choose your shows · Book and save
Join us for every Produced in Perth show and save 25%, (better than a free ticket); or pick your three or four favourites and save 15%*
Click here to view the full season.
*At least one ticket per show, booked in a single transaction. Offer ends 16th Feb 2027.
£19.50; Student/Under 26 £13.00 (including £2.50 booking fee); Schools/Community Groups £8.50
Book Now
