Caryl Churchill’s Triumph premieres at Public Theater and Almeida Theatre

Playwright Caryl Churchill’s new short drama, ‘Triumph’, is receiving simultaneous productions at the Public Theater in New York and the Almeida Theatre in London. The 20-minute political satire draws thematic parallels between modern media handlers and the imperial courts described by Roman historian Suetonius.

The play follows Iris, a press secretary who delivers grandiose briefings extolling the virtues of her leader, and Marcus, an opposition journalist with whom she shares a complicated romantic relationship. While Iris maintains a glossy public veneer for the regime, her private interactions with Marcus highlight the tension between her professional duties and the grim realities of the administration.

Directed by Saheem Ali at the Public Theater and James Macdonald at the Almeida, the work uses theatrical compressionism to explore contemporary political paranoia and the repetition of history.