An epic love story inspired by the extraordinary real life of an 18th Century gender pioneer has its world premiere at Hampstead Theatre in 2023. Linck & Mülhahn, written by Ruby Thomas and directed by Owen Horsley, will run at Hampstead Theatre from Friday 27 January to Saturday 4 March 2023.
Maggie Bain (Man to Man, Wales Millennium Centre; Henry V, Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre) plays the role of Anastasius Linck with Helena Wilson (Jack Absolute Flies Again, National Theatre; The Lady from the Sea, Donmar) playing the role of Catharina Mülhahn and Lucy Black (The Durrells, ITV; The Haystack, Hampstead Theatre) playing Mother. They will be joined by Daniel Abbott, David Carr, Marty Cruickshank, Kammy Darweish, Qasim Mahmood, Leigh Quinn and Timothy Speyer.
“There are things you do not know. Things that would alter your view of me entirely. Things that, were I a worthy man, should prevent me from making any claim on such a rare, intelligent woman as you.”
Prussia 1750. Dashing musketeer and skilled seducer Anastasius Linck has no intention of falling in love. But when he meets passionate young Catharina Mülhahn, so strong is the attraction that the match becomes inevitable. As the couple strive to build a radical kind of marriage, Catharina’s mother becomes obsessed with her mysterious son-in-law and sets out to uncover his secret – a secret that, if revealed, threatens to engulf them all.
Ruby Thomas’ epic and playful modern love story takes eighteenth century court records as its starting point and explores the extraordinary true life of this gender pioneer. It follows Ruby Thomas’ two sold-out plays for Hampstead Downstairs: The Animal Kingdom (‘pure theatre’ – The Guardian) and Either (‘marks Ruby Thomas out as a daring and exciting new voice’ – The Arts Desk).
Owen Horsley directs at Hampstead Theatre for the first time; his credits for the RSC include the recent double bill of Rebellion and Wars of the Roses, as well as Maydays and Salomé.
Linck & Mülhahn is designed by Simon Wells with lighting design by Matt Daw, sound design by Max Pappenheim and assistant direction by Dewi Johnson. The fight and intimacy direction is by Rachel Bown-Williams and Ruth Cooper Brown of RC-Annie.
