The Orange Tree’s Sam Walters discovers a forgotten 1920s feminist play
in Directors, Feminism, London Fringe, Playwrights
17th February 2013
INTERVIEW: SAM WALTERS
The artistic director of the Orange Tree Theatre in Richmond takes Aleks Sierz on a journey of discovery to explore the world of Githa Sowerby’s 1924 play, The Stepmother (currently playing at this venue), and its themes of male domination, female independence and bankruptcy. Best known for Rutherford and Son (1912), Sowerby failed to get a full production of the later play in her lifetime. Recorded at the Orange Tree, 15 February 2013.
We live in an age in which we’ve just had an economic crash, with hedge funds and sub-prime mortgages, and people operating near the line — so the play has enormous resonance.