The Designated Mourner

Jack is married to Judy, the daughter of Howard, a poet and essayist of great renown. They live in the near future, in a country in which the political situation has become increasingly dangerous for members of the cultured, liberal intelligentsia. Jack's growing resentment towards Howard forces Judy to make a choice. As the old order dies, it sends Jack down a disturbing and morally compromised path.

'Wallace Shawn's masterwork has remained, for me, one of the most significant dramas of the past twenty years.' Time Out New York

'To label Mourner either a morality tale or a political tirade is useless; diamond-hard in its thinking, it remains slippery and disturbing in its message . . . a densely shadowed maze laced with shocks and gags.' Vulture

'One of the great works of literature of our time.' David Runciman

The Designated Mourner is a harsh, lyrical tale of the pursuit of beauty in brutal times. It premiered at the National Theatre, London, in April 1996.