Age of Arousal

Executive Director of PhillyGayCalendar

An ancient look at some of the roots of feminism can be found at the WilmaTheatre with the production Age of Arousal. Linda Griffiths’ play directed by Blanka Zizka dives into the important topic of the equality of the sexes. Stocked with five female actresses and one male each scene is executed to hold and keep the audiences attention.

Mary Martello plays Mary Barfoot who runs a school for women to become secretaries in a time when London was short on men. Krista Hoeppner is Rhoda Nunn, Mary Barfoot’s right hand woman and lover. And yes, this play starts off with some fairly decent if not hot female on female kissing action.

The set design and costume design demands your attention as well. Matthew Saunders turned the stage into varied scenes of Victorian days. He used mixed media with the back stage opening up to believable clouds and a screen that creatively announced each new act in the play.

Janus Stefanowicz made frocks that could have been easily found back in the day. Her costume design had to make it easier for the actresses to get into character.

With some occasional chuckles and proclamations of feminism the play is worth seeing.

Read Related Posts...