The Massive Tragedy Of Madame Bovary

Escape to the hilariously tragic world of Madame Bovary — where love, mischief, and mishaps collide in a wild night of Victorian rebellion!

Emma Bovary is bored. She’s bored with her boring doctor husband, bored with her boring provincial village and bored with her role as a dutiful wife in (boring) nineteenth-century France. But Emma reads novels. Lots of novels. And in novels, life is much more fun… Now, four actors battle hilarious mishaps and misbehaving props to tell the (massively) tragic story of Madame Bovary.

Laugh and cry in equal measure as Emma Bovary chooses the wrong husband. Lose yourself in mesmeric love scenes featuring a stupendous collection of devastatingly handsome men. Question the impotence of women in a patriarchal, Victorian society (if you want). There will be vermin, visual absurdity, wild animals and a nun.

Gustave Flaubert’s Madame Bovary was published in 1856, prosecuted for obscenity and hailed as the greatest novel ever written.

Flaubert’s complex novel is given a refreshing shake up in this irreverent, irrepressible and irresistible play.

Important Information

This production contains swearing, mature themes around suicide, as well as birthing

Age Restrictions

Ages 12+.

Performance Times

Now taking bookings for performances up until Sat 11th January 2025.

Show times for each day are below.

Southwark Playhouse Borough Details

Facilities at Southwark Playhouse Borough

Southwark Playhouse Borough Location

Please note: The location shown on the map is an approximate location of the theatre. In the majority of cases the theatre will be marked on the map so please make sure you locate the exact location yourself. If the theatre is not shown on the map please make sure you locate the correct road name and take account of the directions.