Sex, Death and A Baked Swan
In October 2000 the London Museum was digging in Great Dover Street, Southwark and found remains which seemed to belong to a cremated fighter from Rome – a female fighter.
Deborah Cook, successful writer of Eastenders, was inspired to write a fascinating, funny, tense and very moving account of two young women preparing to go out in the arena and pit their combat skills, in London, before a vast, eager crowd.
Were there such women fighters? Here’s the satirical poet Juvenal’s opinion of them: “How can a woman be decent, sticking her head in a helmet, denying the sex she was born with? Manly feats they adore, but they wouldn’t want to be men…” “What these women love is the sword…”
Deborah Cook has entertained huge audiences with her writing for The Royle Family, House of Elliot, Casualty, The Archers etc. etc. as well as Eastenders. Sex, Death and A Baked Swan is her stage debut.
It was performed during April and May 2005 at The Rosemary Branch Theatre along with Deborah Cook’s “The Taster” to prepare you for “The Main Event” - a gladiatorial showdown in which two girls with a past, at the top of their careers, prepare for an epic fight one sunny afternoon.
Below is a selection of photographs from the play:
