The Barbican plays host to a hit transfer from New York, as Fiona Shaw performs Colm Tóibín's monologue
The Testament of Mary. Based on Tóibín's novella of the same name, it presents exactly what the title suggests, as the Virgin Mary gives her perspective on a few key stories from the New Testament: The miracles of healing the lame, resurrecting Lazarus and turning water into wine - although the first two of these are presented as hearsay and the third, the only one Mary was actually present for, didn't actually convince her anything supernatural had gone on. Her narration builds, of course, to Mary having to stand by and helplessly witness the crucifixion, but the idea that this holds any religious or political significance beyond a mother losing her son is an agenda she wants no part of.
