Lorca’s timeless tragedy reimagined

Blood Wedding tells the story of the effects of war on a human level – a never-ending circle of violence, blood and rivalry. And for Deborah Leiser-Moore, the piece is sadly all too relevant in 2025.

An adaptation of Lorca’s 1933 play, Blood Wedding was written amidst political extremism and calls for change and revolution.

Leiser-Moore positions the story in the here and now.

“Every day I hear stories on the news of an outbreak of war in some part of the globe, or another stabbing or machete attack in Melbourne. Families caught in conflict, homes and economies collapsed. It speaks to what is happening now – at this fragile time in the world,” she told The AJN. “At the end of the play, when asked: what happened? The character of the ‘weaver’ says: ‘what usually happens. The old religion of the knife. The taste for it buried in flesh. Real as lust’.”

Leiser-Moore described herself as a “madly passionate performance maker, director and lecturer” who has been immersed in the performing arts world since she was just three years old.

“Most of my work is about being a Jewish woman – investigating culture, identity and the legacy of war,” she said, explaining that she has performed numerous solo and ensemble works, both nationally and internationally, and has lectured at universities for many years.

While she dabbled in visual arts and dance, it was ultimately theatre that called her name.

“I ended up going to art school in Israel and studied visual arts and drama in Australia. The moment of knowing I absolutely wanted to do theatre was when I was living in Japan and was asked to be in a production of Strindberg’s The Stronger. That was it. My passion was ignited,” she recalled.

After working for a performance company in Sydney, Leiser-Moore began to create her own works about being a Jewish Australian woman.

Directing was a natural move from there.

Using projections, a searing and atmospheric soundscape, and heightened physicality, Blood Wedding questions traditions, boundaries, gender, morality, human savagery, freedom, the power of love – and the power of the ‘knife’. These are themes that resonate today as loudly as they did back in Lorca’s time.

Leiser-Moore hopes the audience feels the passion as much as the performers.

“Our world is visceral, physical and sexy,” she said. “The cast are an ensemble of young acting graduates from JMC Academy, where I trained them and directed them. They bring their bold energy and these years of training to the work. I hope audiences will be totally absorbed, excited and engaged by the work, and the world we have created.”

Blood Wedding is at Theatre Works from July 23. For tickets, visit theatreworks.org.au