Casting has been announced for Max Dickins’ Love Them To Death, which will make its debut at Edinburgh Fringe this August.
This new two-hander production, directed by five times Fringe First award-winner Hannah Eidinow, will feature Claire-Louise Cordwell (The Day of the Triffids, Line of Duty) and Helena Antoniou (Call The Midwife) in the roles of Kelly and Gemma.
Joining the creative team will be Holly Ellis as lighting designer and Michael Woods as sound designer.
Inspired by true events, Love Them To Death will explore the complexities of the psychological disorder Fabricated and Induced Illness (FII), which was previously known as “Munchausen’s syndrome by proxy”, a situation in which care givers exaggerate or induce symptoms of illness in their children. While the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health released guidance last year that stated FII is more common than previously thought, it is often under-reported: it is hard to prove, and doctors and school workers struggle to draw the lines between what is “normal” and “abnormal” parenting. Lines between fact and fiction, and love and violence soon become blurred in this dark and twisty tale, exploring how or if the truth can ever be deciphered.
Eidinow comments that the play’s thematic content, while troubling, is important to explore: “I’m really excited to work with Max on his compelling and vital play, and explore the strength and confusion of unconditional love, and the extreme behaviours it can drive us to.
“It’s a truly relevant topic, and I can’t wait to mine this drama about the fundamental questions of the human psyche.”
Tickets are available for purchase from Underbelly Edinburgh’s website.
Words by Katie Heyes
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