In Shelagh Stephenson's spiky comedy, Mary Astell, England's first feminist, finds herself knitting in an ambiguous afterlife, anxious about being forgotten. Her celestial companion, Virginia Woolf, is secure in her literary fame and free to roam, while Astell is shackled to a rope, threatened with erasure. Their contrasting attitudes to religion, science, and the centuries between them create a lively dynamic.
An Amusing Double Act
Phillippa Wilson plays Astell as starchy and formal, while Tessa Parr's Woolf is expansive and lithe. Together, they make an amusing double act in Karen Traynor's production. They find common ground in their independence, rejection of patriarchy, and love of laughter, along with a late-developing taste for sherry.
Conversational Pleasures
Stephenson's play, the third in a Cullercoats trilogy, uses wit to explore the silencing and abuse of women across centuries. It identifies progress, ongoing battles, and sacrifices made by feminist pioneers. However, the play's conversational nature lacks underlying urgency, making the direction slow to reveal itself. Performances continue at Live Theatre, Newcastle, until 6 June.
