New Perspectives, in association with Park Theatre, brings Jane Upton’s critically acclaimed play the Woman to London this autumn.
Running from 24 September to 25 October 2025 in Park200, the Woman is a raw and darkly comic exploration of motherhood, identity, and artistic ambition. The press night will take place on Monday 29 September at 7pm.
Shortlisted for the Bruntwood Prize, the Woman follows M, a successful playwright whose life is upended by the arrival of a newborn. As she struggles to reconcile her roles as artist, mother, and friend, M begins to unravel the systems around her—and within herself.
Written by Jane Upton and directed by Angharad Jones, the production is described as “a funny and painful scream from the abyss of early motherhood.”
Upton said, “When I started writing the Woman I was in a really raw state of mind and early motherhood. The catalyst was an ex from school saying he expected more of me than having kids in our hometown. I wrote the play from such a state of honesty, rage and suffocation. It’s pretty divisive so I was quite scared when it went out on tour. Scared and elated to have this chance to speak. It’s been an intense experience so far. The play has opened up some really deep conversations. So many people have written to tell me how strongly they related – women and men. I’m so excited to see the play grow and gain momentum at the Park Theatre. It’s such a great venue, consistently putting on such quality work and I can’t wait to connect deeply with audiences again. There’s so much to talk about here.”
Lizzy Watts stars as M, with recent credits including SHED: Exploded View and Hedda Gabler. She is joined by Jamie-Rose Monk, Josh Goulding, and André Squire.
Director Angharad Jones said, “Following a successful tour earlier this year, New Perspectives is proud to bring the Woman to London. What Jane has written is an intricately crafted, razor-sharp exploration of what it means to be a woman and more specifically a mother, capturing with honesty the emotional and physical toil required simply to exist in that space.
“The production also speaks to the ideas of home, identity, and how geography continues to shape artistic careers and the stories we tell. Rooted in Nottingham and developed in collaboration with artists across the UK, its arrival at Park Theatre is a celebration for regional theatre on a national stage. Like The Boss of It All, The Fishermen, and We Need New Names before it, the Woman reflects New Perspectives’ commitment to championing original voices and creating space for urgent, unflinching work to thrive.”
Listings and ticket information can be found here
