Maureen Lennon Archives - North West End UK

23Mar

By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments

London

Mary and Hyenas – Wilton’s Music Hall

‘Mary and Hyenas’ recreates the life and times of trailblazer Mary Wollstonecraft with tongue-in-cheek humour and peppy indie rock music. Written by Maureen Lennon collaborating on original music and lyrics by Billy Nomates and directed by Esther Richardson, it is a sincere adaptation that must not be missed. Laura Elsworthy brings alive Mary’s bold and assertive character. We are moved by her portrayal of the vulnerable child singlehandedly questioning patriarchy to her pining for unrequited love and inspired by her passion to live a life different from the sensibility imposed on her. We resonate with the tiredness and humaneness of a leader who is making mistakes and figuring out her purpose, safety and vocation while battling poor mental health herself and making bold choices like ch...

Pilot Theatre’s new play with music Mary and the Hyenas tells the story of a pioneering feminist

Pilot Theatre usually offer their audience plays with a contemporary cutting edge, but this time for Mary and the Hyenas they’re gone back in time to tell the story of a pioneering feminist from the 18th century. Born in Beverley near Hull, Mary Wollstonecraft worked as a schoolteacher, a governess and as a translator for a London publisher before publishing her first book, Thoughts on the Education of Daughters, in 1787. This was followed by the still influential her later work on the place of women in society published as A Vindication of the Rights of Woman five years later, which at its core is a plea for equality in the education of men and women. The Vindication is widely regarded as the founding document of modern feminism. Written by Maureen Lennon for this producti...

Dead Girls Rising – Traverse Theatre

The play opens in media res in a dark forest. At a pivotal moment in their lives, Katie (Helen Reuben) and Hannah (Angelina Chudi) accidentally summon The Furies Tisiphone (Izzy Neish), Magaera (Zoe West) and Alecto (Rebecca Levy), the Greek goddesses of justice. A life-time's obsession with murder (one in particular, literally close to home) has brought with it consequences and the two young women might need help. We follow them through a series of moments from childhood to adulthood, themed by reasons women and girls learn to fear men (here played by the cast in masks and androgynous/Michael Myers boiler suits) and linked with Riot Grrl-inspired punk songs written by Anya Pearson and performed by the Furies (plus drummer). At the start, the audience might get a bit caught in the middl...