(the) Woman is a 90 minute raw, honest and unfiltered account of one woman – M – and her experience of womanhood, specifically as a writer and a mother. Written by Jane Upton, (the) Woman is an incredibly well crafted depiction of a writer who is just trying to find her way in the world as she navigates her career aspirations, motherhood, marriage and everything in between.
The dialogue is funny and fast paced but has a tender and meaningful undercurrent. M pours her heart out to her husband about why she does not feel sexy and does not want to have sex, to which he pleads, have sex for me. She catches up with a former flame who tells her – unsolicited – that he expected her to do more than just be a mother. She is told by her editor to avoid mentioning that she has children, as though to succeed as a woman in this world, one must suppress their domestic identity as a mother. M’s resistance to this commentary is laughed off or met with greater resistance, reflecting a common struggle women face when challenging patriarchal norms.
(the) Woman is directed brilliantly by Angharad Jones, who guides us between M’s reality and her imagined. The use of text on the curtain to transition between the scenes is highly effective, presenting each scene as a new chapter in a book, enhancing the narrative structure. This narrative is brought to life by the fantastic four person cast, consisting of Lizzy Watts, Jamie Rose Monk, André Squire and Josh Goulding. Watts leads this triumphant cast as M, with Monk, Squire and Goulding taking on various supporting roles that bring humour, irony and self reflection to the centre stage.
While there have been plenty of plays I have enjoyed far more and far less than this one, there have not been many that I have watched where I have really resonated with a character the way I, and I am sure many other women, did with M. I am not a mother, nowhere near it, but I am a woman and a writer trying to navigate my way in the world just like M, and much of the sentiment of her character was incredibly relatable, drawing on the highs and lows of womanhood that are explored in Upton’s writing.
M encounters all sorts of criticism, from a fellow mother shaming her for leaving her sick baby and putting herself first, having her health symptoms dismissed by a male doctor who really cares about women’s issues – trust me, he has daughters – to two male producers dimming her light for wanting to write a play about motherhood and motherhood alone.
It captures the reality of being a woman in a patriarchal society perfectly. It is not an exaggerated, unrealistic depiction. The audience reactions were telling, people laughing, nodding their heads or scoffing at certain parts because it was wildly relatable and realistic. In part because of this, and in part because of the authenticity of the cast’s performance, this play felt particularly special. I find myself wanting to recommend it to all my female friends, especially those feeling a little lost and unsure of their identity and place in the world as women. So, to Upton, Jones, Watts and the rest of the cast and crew, I say thank you for what you have created with (the) Woman, and please collaborate again in the future.
Listings and ticket information can be found here
