Modest E-Book

Ellen Brammar

• Herausgeber: Nick Hern Books
• Kategorie: Poesie und Drama
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2023

Beschreibung

'A woman. On the line in Gallery Two of all places. I never thought I'd see the day. This is progress, my dear.' It's 1874, and Elizabeth Thompson stuns the artistic establishment with her painting The Roll Call. Five years later, she falls two votes short of becoming the first woman elected to the Royal Academy. In between, she shoulders the hopes and dreams of female artists across the country, while fighting for her place at a table full of top hats, neckties and mutton chop beards. A thrilling collision of music hall, cabaret and drag king swagger, Modest tells the true story of a pioneering megastar of the Victorian art scene. Written by Ellen Brammar and with music by Rachel Barnes, it was first produced in 2023 by Middle Child in collaboration with Milk Presents at Hull Truck Theatre before touring.

Leseprobe

Ellen Brammar

MODEST

NICK HERN BOOKS

London

www.nickhernbooks.co.uk

For my bossy people, A & K, be wonderful, brilliant you.

Contents

Original Production Details

Characters

Suggested Doubling

Notes

Scene Title References

Modest

About the Author

Copyright and Performing Rights Information

Modest was first produced by Middle Child in collaboration with Milk Presents and performed at Hull Truck Theatre on 23 May 2023, before touring to Crucible Theatre, Sheffield; Northern Stage, Newcastle; New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich; Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough; The Warehouse in Holbeck, Leeds; and Kiln Theatre, London. The cast and creative team was as follows:

ELIZABETH

Emer Dineen

ALICE/RA TWO

Fizz Sinclair

RA ONE/MARY

LJ Parkinson

RA THREE/FRANCES

Isabel Adomakoh Young

MILLAIS/CORA/AIDE

Jacqui Bardelang

BESSIE/QUEEN VIC

Libra Teejay

Writer

Ellen Brammar

Composer and Musical Director

Rachel Barnes

Co-Director

Luke Skilbeck

Co-Director

Paul Smith

Assistant Director

Prime Isaac

Set Designer

QianEr Jin

Costume Designer

Terry Herfield

Associate Costume Designer

Siân Thomas

Lighting Designer

Jessie Addinall

Sound Designer and Music Producer

Eliyana Evans

Movement Director

Tamar Draper & Jo Ashbridge for Tamar and Jo Dance Company

Dramaturg

Matthew May

Producer

Bellaray Bertrand-Webb

Production Manager

Emily Anderton

Sound Engineer

Tom Smith

Stage Manager

Jay Hirst

Deputy Stage Manager

Danielle Harris

Company Stage Manager

Shona Wright

Sensitivity Reader

mandla

Engagement Coordinators

Same Circle Theatre

BSL Interpreter (Hull)

Rose Priestley

Characters

ELIZABETH, twenty-six. Artist, exceptionally talented. Self-assured

ALICE, twenty-five, trans woman. Poet, exceptionally talented. Activist, Elizabeth’s sister

BESSIE, sixteen, non-binary. Budding artist. Working class. Huge fan of Elizabeth

FRANCES, twenty-six, Black. Artist, suffragist, activist, intelligent

MARY, twenty-seven. Artist, queer, kind-hearted

CORA, twenty-five. Artist. A fine painter. A little naive and unworldly

RA ONE, fifty-five. Artist and president of Royal Academy. Pompous, ruthless

RA TWO, sixty-five. Artist. Misogynist

RA THREE, twenty-six. Artist. Ignorant and easily swayed

MILLAIS, forty-five. Artist. Liberal by 1870s standards

HANGING COMMITTEE, forty. Artist. Officious and a stickler for details

AIDE, thirty. Diligent and eager to please

QUEEN VIC, fifty-five. A woman at the top

Race and gender of characters is open, unless stated otherwise. Ages are from the start of the play in 1874.

Suggested Doubling

ALICE and RA TWO

RA ONE and MARY

MILLAIS, AIDE and CORA

HANGING COMMITTEE, RA THREE and FRANCES

BESSIE and QUEEN VIC

Notes

The play takes place from 1874 to 1879.

A forward slash ( / ) indicates an interruption.

Words in square brackets [ ] can be unspoken or half-spoken.

Scene Title References

‘I would have girls regard themselves not as adjectives but as nouns.’ – Elizabeth Cady Stanton

‘The true man wants two things: danger and play. For that reason he wants woman, as the most dangerous plaything.’ – Friedrich Nietzsche

‘Babes Never Die’ – Honeyblood

‘They call it art. Maybe.’ – Standing Female Nude, Carol Ann Duffy

‘My love is political. My body is political. I talk even when I don’t speak.’ – Indya Moore

‘Pressure is a privilege – it only comes to those who earn it.’ – Billie Jean King

‘Have a big crazy dream and see where it takes you.’ – Maggie Aderin-Pocock

‘The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off.’ – Gloria Steinem

‘I can see the Queen of England gazing on my shape. Magnificent, she murmurs, moving on.’ – Standing Female Nude, Carol Ann Duffy

‘Gotta blame it on my juice.’ – Lizzo

‘Hope is a very unruly emotion.’ – Gloria Steinem

‘I just love bossy women.’ – Amy Poehler

‘These artists take themselves too seriously.’ – Standing Female Nude, Carol Ann Duffy

‘A place you can live out a fantasy you have never lived before.’ – Michaela Jaé Rodriguez

‘You are the problem here.’ – First Aid Kit

‘A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.’ – Gloria Steinem

‘I’m a woman, phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that’s me.’ – Phenomenal Woman, Maya Angelou

This ebook was created before the end of rehearsals and so may differ slightly from the play as performed.

ACT ONE

ONE – IT’S ALL TRUE. APART FROM WHEN WE’RE LYING

We are at Burlington House. The RAS (ROYAL ACADEMICIANS) are already on stage. They might be painting an audience member, inspecting the art, chatting together. RA ONE steps forward, he addresses the room of hopeful artists, RA THREE follows closely behind. (The following speech should be full of liveness and fun.)

RA ONE. Welcome. Sit. (Etc.) Let me extend our warmest welcome to you all. You hopeful artists.

RA THREE. Aren’t you lucky to be here tonight? Getting to glimpse behind the curtain, into my world.

RA ONE. Our world. The world of art. There is no finer place. And to think, you could become a part of it.

RA THREE. The commonest of man.

RA ONE. For the Summer Exhibition is open to anyone. If your work is good enough then we will hang it. Here. Right here alongside mine.

RA THREE. And mine.

RA ONE. And theirs. It is quite a thing, is it not? Of course, your art is unlikely to be hung right next to mine.

RA THREE. Yes, or mine.