Trapped in a loveless marriage, Ellida is consumed by her longing for the sea, by the promise of the unknown. The startling arrival of a stranger stirs her desires and lures her back to the water's edge. Now Ellida must confront both the past and a desire for freedom that could destroy her.

Frank McGuinness's version of Henrik Ibsen's The Lady from the Sea premiered at the Arcola Theatre, London, in April 2008.