Vinegar Tom

Vingegar tom is the play we will be performing by Caryl Churchill.

The play tells the story of Alice, who is in her twenties and living in a small village. Alice and her mother Joan are accused of witchcraft after an incident with their neighbours results in several mishaps upon their neighbours farm - supposedly the result of Joan's "witchcraft". It is later implied that Vinegar Tom, Joan's cat, may have been behind it all. The plot includes much witchcraft, some slating of the Christian faith at that time, and the clear discrimination of women. It was written at the height of the second feminist movement in the 20th Century. Churchill, a highly influential feminist writer shows just how much control men have over society, how women have only ever been classed as good for producing children in the past. All the songs are set in present day, and all reflect in one way or another, the discrimination of women/men's control of society. Betty, one of the plays characters is classed as mad or ill purely because she does not want to marry. The play also outlines society's rejection of people with differences.

I think this will be really interesting to work with as femism is really exciting thing to perform.