Witchcraft - Finborough Theatre
Preview by Lizzie Guilfoyle
WITCHCRAFT, by groundbreaking female playwright Joanna Baillie, will run from Wednesday, April 23 to Saturday, May 10, 2008, at Finborough Theatre, in what will be its first production in over a century.
Witchcraft is set in 17th century Scotland where the sister of the Laird of Dungarren lies mysteriously stricken with illness. Before long, the whispers of witchcraft start to grow. In the rising tide of hysteria, the women of the estate seize the chance to turn this paranoia into the power that they desperately desire – only to discover dealing with the devil has its price…
Written in both the poetic language of the aristocracy and the savage beauty of the Scots language, Witchcraft paints a thrilling, vivid picture of a superstitious world where women are forced to embrace the darkest side of femininity.
Scots playwright and poet Joanna Baillie (1762-1851) was a prolific writer, producing 27 full length plays during her long career. She was best known for her verse tragedy De Montfort, which was performed at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane by John Philip Kemble, Sarah Siddons and Edmund Kean.
Well recognized and respected during her lifetime, her works fell into neglect soon after her death. However, she is now recognized for her significant influence on such contemporary writers as Wordsworth, Byron, and Shelley, and is considered by many critics to have served as a model for later women writers.
Witchcraft will be directed by Bronwen Carr whose credits include A Patch of Blue (King’s Head), Woodland (Old Red Lion Theatre), Death March Diary (Imperial War Museum), Stalker (Soho Theatre), I Have Been Here Before (Edinburgh Festival) and Powerless (Baron’s Court Theatre).
She was also Assistant Director to Lucy Bailey on Gumbo Jumbo, and assisted Anthony Page on Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (West End), The Master Builder (West End and Tour), The Goat (Almeida Theatre and West End), and The Night of the Iguana (West End).
Tickets: £13, £9 concessions, except Tuesday evenings – £9 all seats, and Saturday evenings – £13 all seats, previews (April 23 and 24) – £9 all seats.
Times: Tuesday to Saturday evenings at 7:30pm; Saturday and Sunday matinees at 3pm.
For more information call the box office on 0844 847 1652 or visit the website.