Presented by Ruth Theatre Productions in association with Cahoots Theatre Company
Love. Death. Obsession.
The Ruth Ellis story had them all.
In 1955, Ruth Ellis became the last woman to be executed in Britain. A glamorous nightclub hostess. A violent, upper-class lover. A series of gunshots that shocked the nation. Tried, condemned and hanged at Holloway Prison, her fate was sealed by a society quick to judge and slow to listen.
Now her story is retold with urgency and fire.
RUTH is a bold British noir musical that delves into sex, class, power and injustice in 1950s Britain. In the era of #MeToo, Ellis’s story of abuse, control and patriarchal judgment feels chillingly contemporary—less a historical scandal than a modern reckoning.
Featuring a score by John Cameron (Les Misérables), Francis Rockliff and James Reader, with lyrics by Caroline Slocock and John Cameron, and a book by Caroline Slocock, RUTH transforms true crime into searing musical drama.
Directed by Andy Morahan (Boogie Man), RUTH plays at Wilton’s Music Hall, 18–28 March 2026.
This is not just her story.
It’s ours.
There will be a Q&A following the performance on Tuesday 24th March. Audience members with tickets to that night’s performance are invited to stay if they wish.
The panel will include:
Laura Enston (granddaughter of Ruth Ellis)
Saul Lehrfreund, Co-Founder & Co-Executive Director of the Death Penalty Project.
