Exeter alumna Lisa Parry Premieres Provocative New Play ‘Salem’

Exeter College alumna Lisa Parry (1998, English) returns to the stage this summer with her latest play, Salem, a bold exploration of art, identity, and cultural ownership. The production premieres at the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama (RWCMD) in Cardiff from 30 May to 5 June 2025, before transferring to London’s Young Vic from 11 to 14 June as part of the NEW’25 festival. 

Set in Capel Salem, Gwynedd, Salem intertwines two timelines: in 2025, two Welsh students steal the iconic painting ‘Salem’ from a Liverpool gallery in an act of cultural reclamation; in 1908, artist Sydney Curnow Vosper paints the original work, his vision contested by its subjects. The play interrogates whether a single, definitive interpretation of art is ever possible. 

Directed by Sara Lloyd, Salem is a collaboration between RWCMD’s Richard Burton Company and Sherman Theatre. The Richard Burton Company comprises final-year students from RWCMD’s acting, stage management, theatre design, and musical theatre programmes, offering them a professional platform to showcase their talents. 

Parry, a Cardiff-based playwright, has seen her work staged by leading new writing companies in the UK and USA. She co-founded Agent 160 Theatre Company in 2011 to address gender imbalance in theatre and later co-founded Illumine Theatre Company in 2016. Her previous plays include The Merthyr Stigmatist and Tremolo.  

Salem continues Parry’s tradition of tackling complex themes through compelling narratives, inviting audiences to reflect on the power dynamics inherent in art and cultural heritage.