Dead Man Walking follows the final days of a convicted killer on Death Row, a man who is considered to be beyond redemption. The only person to challenge this view is a devout nun who believes that everyone is entitled to forgiveness and salvation.
A harrowing opening scene of two men savagely attacking and murdering a teenage couple plays out in a dark back street, to an ominous accompaniment of strident strings and clashing percussion.
In a complete contrast of setting, the action moves to a convent, where children gather round to sing hymns with Sister Helen, sensitively played by Christine Rice. Her voice rings out as pure and clear as her unswerving faith, but her beliefs are tested when she agrees to offer spiritual guidance to the convicted killer.
The score composed by Jake Heggie blends seamlessly with the libretto by playwright Terrence McNally, under the baton of conductor Kerem Hasan in a new production directed by Annilese Miskimmon. Since its premiere in San Francisco in 2000, this has become the most widely performed opera of the 21st century. The plot is based on the best-selling book by Sister Helen Prejean, which was adapted into an Oscar-winning film starring Susan Sarandon and Sean Penn.
Baritone Michael Mayes gives a powerful performance as Joseph de Rocher, who is facing death by lethal injection. At first, he refuses to admit his part in the murder and shifts the blame onto his brother: “He got a better lawyer. I get Death Row and a nun…”
There are occasional flashes of humour amid the unrelenting misery, and the ENO Orchestra makes the most of the lighter moments inspired by gospel and jazz. In a scene where Joseph and Sister Helen find a common interest in their shared love of Elvis, the irony is not lost on them when they joke about one of their favourite hits: Jailhouse Rock.
Sister Helen is torn between her loyalty to Joseph and her sympathy for the families waiting for the convict to confess and show a shred of remorse. Joseph’s journey is almost complete, but his fate is already sealed. Joseph’s mother, played by Dame Sarah Connolly in a touching performance, arrives with her other sons (Michael Lafferty and Marcus Swietlicki) to say their final goodbyes.
The jailhouse interior designed by Alex Eales is pallid, clinical, devoid of colour, apart from a red neon exit sign above the door.
The only ray of hope remaining to a Dead Man Walking is that the path to redemption is still open, even to those facing a short, bleak future with no way out.
Review by Angela Lord
Joseph De Rocher faces death by lethal injection for the brutal and senseless murder of two teenagers. While Joseph refuses to accept his guilt, we follow the religious and personal struggles of Sister Helen Prejean. She offers him spiritual guidance and witnesses the unbearable pain felt by the victim’s families, who’ve been left devastated by Joseph’s horrific and unforgivable crimes.
Will Sister Helen succeed in getting the confession the families deserve? Or will Joseph maintain his innocence to the very end?
Christine Rice – Sister Helen Prejean
Michael Mayes – Joseph De Rocher
Dame Sarah Connolly – Mrs Patrick De Rocher
Madeline Boreham – Sister Rose
Andrew Manea – Warden George Benton
Ronald Samm – Father Grenville
Gweneth Ann Rand – Kitty Hart
Jacques Imbrailo – Owen Hart
Catherine Carby – Jade Boucher
Hubert Francis – Howard Boucher
Zwakele Tshabalala – Motorcycle Cop
Michael Lafferty – Older Brother
Marcus Swietlicki – Younger Brother
Olivia Rose Tringham – Sister Catherine
Amy Holyland – Sister Lillianne
Alaric Green – Prison Guard 1
Malachy Frame – Prison Guard 2
By Jake Heggie and Terrance McNally
Kerem Hasan – Conductor
Annilese Miskimmon – Director
Alex Eales – Set Designer
Evie Gurney – Costume Designer
D. M. Wood – Lighting Designer
Imogen Knight – Movement and Intimacy Director
DEAD MAN WALKING
London Coliseum
Until 18 November 2025
