British playwright Penelope Skinner is known for her sharp, witty portraits of complex female leads — and her latest work, “Lyonesse,” is no exception. The play grapples with gendered power dynamics, the #MeToo movement and the societal expectations for women — and it does so, largely, with humor. Following a debut in London’s West End, Skinner’s self-proclaimed “darkly comic play” is coming to the Wheeler Opera House for an Aspen Fringe Festival reading this Saturday.
“Fundamentally, theater is a kind of reflection of life, it's like the best mirror that we have,” Skinner said in an interview with Aspen Public Radio. “And so I like to write plays that have that whole range in (them), because I guess that's how I experience life.”
Skinner has crafted one of the protagonists, Kate, as an uber-apologetic, eager-to-please 30-something trying to balance perfection as a mother and film development executive. Another lead, Elaine, is eccentric and reclusive — a retired actress who’s spent the better part of her life in hiding after a relationship with an abusive director. Studio boss Sue is composed, severe and willing to sacrifice for success; Elaine’s neighbor, Chris, has a calming presence as a poet. The sole man in the play, David, is the type who might support the premise of #MeToo, but question its implications; he’s a bigwig director himself, and Kate’s sometimes-demanding husband.
It’s a contemporary work, by a contemporary playwright, but Skinner sees connections to the culture of a century ago, too. She recently attended a production of “Machinal,” a 1928 play by Sophie Treadwell that examined social pressures through the story of a woman driven to murder her husband; Skinner said she was struck by the parallels.
“I felt like the pressures were the same then, nearly 100 years ago, … which was kind of upsetting to be honest,” Skinner said. “But of course, many things have evolved, and the conversations I suppose, have evolved. And I do feel like we're in a different place. But of course, we still have to keep up.”
The sentiment resonates with Renee Prince, who is directing the Aspen Fringe Festival reading with assistant director Julie Comins. Prince recognized the hurdles that stand in the way of female-driven theater, and said she’s proud to work on a play that puts the perspectives of women center stage — with many women behind the curtain too.
“To be a woman at a table like this, to be intentionally trying to disrupt those power dynamics … we come to this table, in this industry, with the knowledge that we are enough, and what we bring is important, and we're not going to sacrifice our humanity,” Prince said.
Assistant director Julie Comins said there is value in the variety of experiences that Skinner depicts in “Lyonesse.” The playwright “avoids black and white,” Comins said, in a way that encourages audiences to interrogate the structures that might prompt patriarchal behavior in women, too.
“This is not male versus female, man versus woman (story),” Comins said. “These are super structures. … They're constructs that we can all fall into or be overrun.”
Comins also appreciates the rich leading roles in mature characters like Elaine (played by Eileen Seeley) and Sue (portrayed by Shelly Marolt). The opportunities run counter to what Comins describes as the “incredible disappearing woman syndrome.”
“As women age, the culture as a whole turns away from them, … and to see these women visible and these stories out front, I think is really important,” Comins said.
Actor Brittany Crooke, who plays Kate, found empowerment in her own character’s plotline as well. Kate — as a younger film executive balancing professional goals with the demands of family life — develops a sense of self-assuredness over the course of “Lyonesse” as she spends more time with Elaine.
“Seeing (Kate) in the play come to terms with having strength and confidence, and not having to apologize, and letting her ‘no’ be ‘no’ is just a beautiful, beautiful journey to watch,” Crooke said.
These are, admittedly, heady topics for a play that also has a comedic bent. But in Prince’s view, the humor of the script creates an opportunity for audiences to connect with the characters and themes of “Lyonesse” on a deeper level.
“To laugh with someone is one of the most intimate things that we can do,” Prince said. “It's one of the most vulnerable. And when we're laughing, we're open to one another.”
The Aspen Fringe Festival’s production of “Lyonesse” is a semi-staged reading, meaning actors will have scripts with them onstage and there will be minimal props. It’s the first North American reading of the play, which made its debut in a fully-staged version in London’s West End last year.
“Lyonesse” begins at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.
The Fringe Festival will also offer a dance program at 7:30 p.m. on Friday at the Wheeler, featuring both live and filmed performances. That lineup includes works by the Alchemy Arts Collective and choreographer Jon Ole Olstad.
