Pilot Theatre and Hull Truck Theatre have today announced the première of Mary and the Hyenas, a new play featuring original songs, which tells the story of the life of the iconic 18th century British writer, philosopher and advocate of women’s rights Mary Wollstonecraft.
Written by Hull playwright Maureen Lennon (Guts! The Musical, Hull Truck Theatre and Baby, He Loves You, Middle Child Theatre) and featuring original music and songs by the acclaimed singer-songwriter Billy Nomates (aka Tor Maries), Mary and the Hyenas will have its world première at Hull Truck Theatre from 7 February and run until 1 March, then transfer to London’s Wilton’s Musical Hall from 18 until 29 March.
Meet Mary and the Hyenas, a band who will sing you the inspiring story of Mary Wollstonecraft. A woman centuries ahead of her time: trailblazer, feminist and literary pioneer.
From her passionate advocacy of women’s rights to her tumultuous personal journey, Mary and the Hyenas captures the spirit and resilience of a woman who dared to defy the conventions of her time, and who kept going when so many wanted to bring her down. This is a witty, laugh-out-loud, searing tribute to the courage and determination of a woman who fought for equality and justice.
Directed by Esther Richardson (Noughts and Crosses and A Song for Ella Grey, Pilot Theatre and the forthcoming Expendable, Royal Court) and designed by Sara Perks (Mind Mangler, Mischief Theatre), prepare for an all-female cast to roar onto the stage, singing and dancing with their fists raised in defiance to the injustices of the world.
Be prepared for petticoats to be lifted, boots stomped, and voices raised in the determined pursuit of change.
Regarded as the “mother of Feminism”, Mary Wollstonecraft (1759–1797) was a moral and political philosopher whose analysis of the condition of women in modern society retains much of its original radicalism. She taught school and worked as a governess and as a translator for a London publisher. Her early Thoughts on the Education of Daughters (1787) foreshadowed her mature work on the place of women in society, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), whose 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.
Mary and the Hyena’s cast will feature Laura Elsworthy (Reykjavik, Hampstead Theatre and Corrina, Corrina, Everyman Theatre & Headlong Theatre) as Mary Wollstonecraft; Kate Hampson (Romeo and Juliet, Royal Exchange Manchester) as Mary’s Mother; Elexi Walker (I Think We Are Alone, Frantic Assembly) as Joseph Johnson/ Gilbert Imlay; Beth Crame (A Song for Ella Grey, Pilot Theatre) as Eliza Wollstonecraft/ Dr Price/ Margaret Kingsborough; Kat Johns- Burke (A Tiger’s Tale, M6 Theatre) as Fanny Blood/ Fuseli/ Edward Wollstonecraft and Ainy Medina (Little Women, York Theatre Royal) as Mary Shelley/ Marguerite/ Thomas Paine.
Mary and the Hyenas writer Maureen Lennon said: “I couldn’t be more excited for Mary and the Hyenas to be finally shared with the world. I’ve been obsessed with Mary’s story ever since I was a teenager, and getting to share her voice with the young women of today feels like such a privilege. She’s an icon who blazed ahead of her time, and she’s got so much to say to us, now. Stuff about bravery and passion and how you muster the courage to change the world. It feels like we all need some of that fire right now.”
Songwriter Billy Nomates (Tor Maries) said: “I didn’t know about Mary Wollstonecraft. It seems history rarely embraces pioneering women. Her story is a compelling one. A true trailblazer, but a human being, ahead of her 1800s environment. I wanted to bring the music into the last few decades, a contemporary place, not wholly defined by now. An attitude and feeling that resonates across time and ages.”
Director Esther Richardson added: “I’ve long been curious about how to give Mary Wollstonecraft a fitting tribute in a theatre production, to widen awareness of her groundbreaking life and work among young audiences. When Maureen Lennon brought the idea for this play to Pilot and Hull Truck Theatre, a vision for how to create this show was galvanised. We are delighted to be working with Maureen as well as Tor Maries, an extraordinary and courageous song writer, and a supremely talented cast and creative team on this thrilling brand-new production.”
Mary and the Hyenas was developed with the support of the National Theatre’s Generate programme.
For more information on Mary and the Hyenas visit pilot-theatre.com/production/mary-and-the-hyenas/
