Origin of the Species - A Love Story

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Event Origin of the Species - A Love Story
Venue Birmingham Repertory Studio Theatre, Birmingham, England
First Date 22 November 1984
Last Date 22 December 1984
Dates Estimated No
Status Professional
World Premiere Yes
Part of a Tour Yes
Description "An ardent archaeologist digging for prehistoric man finds instead a four-million-year-old woman complete and ready to run. Molly, the archaeologist, carts her back to Yorkshire, names her, rather against appearances, Victoria, and proceeds, on the premise that her brain, though old, is perfectly formed, to educate her like a daughter.

The spectacle of said fierce and hairy biped coming to terms with skirts and teapots and clocks and all civilisation's gentler aspects is crafted with great humour and charm. The crunch comes when the 'child' has to learn about cruelty and war, in a gentle but telling allegory of the loss of innocence."

The two-person show Origin of the Species - A Love Story, set 125 years after Charles Darwin's publication of Origin of Species in 1859, examines where women fit into this 'master theory'. It was Monstrous Regiment's first co-production with the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.
Description Source Reviewer's Opinion
Primary Genre Theatre - Spoken Word
Secondary Genre Drama
Subjects Evolution
Gender roles
History
Women
Women's Issues
Organisations
Contributors
Name Function Notes
Sandy Bailey Administrator
Jenny Carey Designer
Nona Shepphard Director
Michael Rowntree Lighting Designer
Gillian Hanna Performer
Mary McCusker Performer
Bryony Lavery Playwright
Christine Thornhill Stage Manager
Text Nationality England
Production Nationality England
Event Status Completed
Data Source
Source Description
Press Release Press release, Monstrous Regiment Theatre Company Archive, Victoria and Albert Museum
Programme Programmes, Monstrous Regiment Theatre Company Archive, Victoria and Albert Museum
Newspaper Press clippings, Monstrous Regiment Theatre Company Archive, Victoria and Albert Museum
Event Identifier 131642
Dataset AusStage