THE story of a woman who wreaks revenge on her torturer is coming to the stage in Bridport.

Death and the Maiden will be performed by the Baroque Theatre Company at Bridport Arts Centre on Tuesday, May 7.

Paulina's husband, Gerardo Escobar, believes that she may be wrong and that the man is perhaps not her perpetrator and could be innocent. As a lawyer, he cannot condone the kidnapping and trial with Paulina acting as judge, jury and executioner.

The consequences of her actions will be far reaching, wrecking her husband’s hard won career and stopping a nation’s progress to democracy in the aftermath of dictatorship.

The alternative is continuing a life in misery, frightened as a mouse, caught in a virtual cage. Paulina could once again be strong, happy and carefree. If only there was a way to heal her emotional wounds and save all that she and her husband have sacrificed so much for.

What would you do? Would you finally have your own certain justice or let your torturer go as your husband is begging of you because he believes you maybe mistaken and mentally imbalanced? Is he right? After all, he is the lawyer in charge of the commission investigating the deaths of thousands of dissidents under the previous dictatorship as the country struggles to rebuild and strengthen a fragile democracy.

In this thrilling drama, Death and the Maiden challenges audiences to judge guilt or innocence as they are confronted with a tragedy that has no clear solution. Sadly in a world populated with dictatorships and human rights violations, it is as relevant today as when first written. It is a narrative of how victims subjected to unjust violence struggle to heal. It explores the intricacies of memory and madness and the uncertainty of truth. It captures the imagination provoking deep feelings and thought days after viewing.

In 1992, Death and the Maiden won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Play and has been adapted to both film and opera. It's written by human rights activist, Ariel Dorfman, whose works have been translated into more than 40 languages and performed in over 100 countries.

*Death and the Maiden, Bridport Arts Centre, Tuesday, May 7. Call the box office for tickets.