The Abdication

In 1655, Christina of Sweden abdicated the throne, gives up Protestantism to become a Catholic and arrives in Rome expecting to be welcomed by the pope as the church's newest, most ardent and most celebrated convert. She is stunned to discover that, instead, she is forced to face an intensive examination of her life and motives by Cardinal Azzolino—with whom, shocking and unexpectedly, she falls in love. While based on history, this searing emotion-charged drama is a modern timeless exploration of the ambiguities and conflicts posed by the warring masculine and feminine aspects of herself. This highly acclaimed drama, which premiered at the Bristol Old Vic, and which Ms. Wolff then adapted for the Warner Bros. film starring Liv Ullman and Peter Finch, has earned international praise in major productions in many languages.