LISTEN: Lancaster mum and daughter bring award-winning prison drama to Dukes theatre

A mother and daughter from Lancaster are set to bring a hard-hitting prison drama to a city venue.

Christine and Lois Mackie star in 'IRON', an award-winning production about two women trying to reconnect after an unspeakable tragedy.

The show is coming to The Dukes, with performances from September 30 to October 3.

Ahead of the production's arrival in Lancaster, Christine - best known for her recurring role as Dr Gaddas in TV soap Coronation Street - spoke to Beyond Radio.

LISTEN to Christine Mackie

Christine plays Fay, who is serving a life sentence for murdering her husband with a kitchen knife.

She is 15 years into her sentence when her daughter Josie (Lois) visits for the first time.

Josie, raised by her paternal grandmother and with no memory of her father or the crime, seeks answers about her past.

Through a series of prison visits, the two women attempt to reconnect; Fay is emotionally hardened by years of incarceration, while Josie is determined to uncover the reality of her childhood and the murder of her father.

In this gripping and psychological drama, written by acclaimed Scottish playwright Rona Munro, mother and daughter try to break through the barriers of time, memory and the punishment that separates them both literally and metaphorically.

First performed at The Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh in 2002, IRON then transferred to a sell out run at The Royal Court in London – for which it received critical acclaim and won the John Whiting Award.

In this new staging of the play by Best Girl Productions, this will be the first time the roles of Fay and Josie are being played by a real-life mother and daughter - who are also playing alongside each other on stage for the very first time.

Christine has also starred as Daphne Bryant in Downton Abbey; whilst screen and stage actress Lois can be seen in the recently released feature film Finding Emily.

Playing the pivotal and supporting roles as the prison guards are Jamie Smelt (Northern Broadsides/Red Ladder/Brassic) and Ellaney Hayden (The Lowry/MIF/Casualty).

“IRON is so beautifully written and although it seems straightforward on the surface, it has hidden depths and all four characters, contained within the confines of the prison, have no choice but to confront the truth," said Christine.

"I’m very excited about the show, the whole creative team is so talented and it’s a real privilege to work with my daughter Lois on stage for the very first time."

Lois said: "It has always been on my bucket list to act opposite my brilliant mother, and I couldn't be more thrilled that it will be on such a juicy bit of theatre as IRON.

"With the addition of such a talented cast and creative team, I think we're going to make something special. Rona Munro's characters are so complex, and they complement each other throughout the twists and turns of this story. It's an emotional rollercoaster and I can't wait to share it with you all!"

Tickets are available HERE.