The Thrill of Love

A New Vic Theatre production

By Amanda Whittington, directed by James Dacre

Ruth Ellis was the last woman to be hanged in Britain, convicted of the coldblooded killing of her unfaithful lover. Directed by James Dacre, this gripping new play by the author of the hugely popular Be My Baby takes a new look at the real woman behind the headlines and at the events that drive her to murder.

A divorcee with a young child to care for, Ruth works in the kind of nightclubs where there’s more than just a drink on offer. The girls work hard, play hard and dream of a movie-star life. Then she meets the wealthy, womanising David, a racing driver with whom she becomes obsessed. Fame comes but not in the way she imagines.

Why does their relationship end in murder? Why does she plead not guilty but offer no defence? Why does she show no remorse? And just who is she trying to protect?