Playwright Maureen Lennon talks upcoming show ‘Mary and the Hyenas’: “It’s surprising we don’t have fifteen plays about her already”

The legacy of Mary Wollstronecraft endures onstage through this new original play exploring the trials and tribulations of her striking life. Guillermo Nazara chats with its author, to learn all the facts about this historical piece exploring the path of a woman who changed the course of all womanhood.

How did the idea for this show come about?

I’d always been interested in Mary’s story and her writing. My mum introduced me to her early on. Beverley, where Mary grew up, is really close to Hull, the city I’m from, and I felt like we should be shouting about that a lot more.

Mary’s passion and energy captured me, along with her ideas – and I kept thinking there must be a play in it. Then, I stumbled across a report that showed how the human rights of girls were being compromised across the UK. Hull was one of the cities highlighted where girls were really being failed. It made me feel like Mary’s story and writing still had so much to say to us now. It made it feel urgent. Hull Truck were interested, and when Pilot Theatre also said they’d come on board we were ready to go.

Why choose this particular character among all the many others in her field?

I think the point about Mary is that there weren’t others in her field, because she sort of invented the field. That’s a bit of a reductive answer, because of course there were – things are never as simple as one origin story, but she is known as the ‘mother of feminism’ for a reason. Vindication Of The Rights Of Woman was definitely a trailblazing text in how it comprehensively laid out an argument for women’s rights. Add to that a huge personality, a life filled with tragedy, and whirlwind adventures and a passionate ideology that still feels like it speaks to a current generation of women, and it felt like she couldn’t be ignored. Really, it’s surprising we don’t have fifteen plays about her already.

Mary Wollstonecraft has been a subject of inspiration, but also controversy through her views (especially by today’s standards). Will that theme be reflected in the show too?

Mary lived a life that defied convention and she was punished for it, in many of the ways we expect women who step outside of society’s boundaries to be punished. Some of the things she was arguing for, that women were rational creatures with brains, seem pretty basic now. But some of them still feel pretty out of reach. And I would say contemporary society is still pretty punishing to women who step outside of its patriarchal structures, it may be more underground now but it’s still present.

One of the criticisms of Mary now is that she didn’t go far enough, and that she is too critical of women in her writing. While I don’t buy that a hundred percent it’s true that our ideas of feminism have widened and deepened, not least because of all the brilliant writers who have fought to make us better understand and reflect intersectionality.

I always think that if we feel now that Mary didn’t go far enough that’s only because she fought to get us to started along this road. What a testament to her in many ways. I think we touch on a lot of these issues in the play, some more explicitly than others.

What other topics have you tried to explore through this play?

Ultimately, this is a play driven by character, not topics. We’re on Mary’s journey, and what a ride! I think it touches on many ideas: how do you raise girls in a world that is hostile to them? How do you fall in love without compromising your agency and ideals? How do you survive a revolution? How, ultimately, do you keep on picking yourself back up time after time and have the courage to hurl yourself once again at the world?

What has the process of developing this show been like?

LONG, but in many ways that’s been a gift. There was a lot of ground to cover, a lot of things to read and a lot of ideas to process. The beautiful thing about theatre is how many people get to contribute to development, and that’s been lovely here. Whether it’s been Mark at Hull Truck, who initially believed in the play, to Esther, our director, who has been such a generous and sharp eyed collaborator, and to Laura, who plays Mary and has been contributing ideas from really early on. We were lucky enough to have several readings and R&D’s so it’s never felt too lonely.  

What are the reasons behind its approach? Why devise it as a play with songs?

My plays often use music and song, even though I’m extremely unmusical as a person myself, but it often adds a real vibrancy and playfulness into the form that I’m a fan of. In this story it felt like the music could give us permission to do some really important things. The songs often draw out the themes and speak in a more contemporary way, as well as conveying some of the epic scope. Also, we wanted something that really reflected Mary’s incredible energy, and a soundtrack of bangers felt like it would do just that job.  

Have you found any particular challenges from a creative point of view?

Getting the arc of the story has been a bit of a challenge, as mentioned Mary had in many ways a really tragic life. We knew we wanted to honour her journey whilst not just making something that was miserable to watch. We wanted it to feel as passionate and exciting as her ideas, to let it sit in bits of sadness and then sweep you off your feet. That’s taken some real working out.

Is this an accurate depiction of her life or a modern reinterpretation?

It’s rooted in a lot of research and fact, but it’s definitely an interpretation. It’s got flavours of the period, but at times we break that really deliberately. At the end of the day you’ve got to feel free to make creative decisions, otherwise you’re in the business of making historical artefact not theatre.

Who are The Hyenas in Mary’s world?

The Hyenas are a chorus of storytellers who help tell her story and play lots of the characters from her life. They are also in charge of the music in the show and sing lots of the songs. Mary was named a ‘Hyena in petticoats’ after her text A Vindication Of The Rights Of Woman was published. In some ways our hyenas are reclaiming that term, a hyena sounds like quite an effective thing for a rebellious woman to be.

Why come see Mary and the Hyenas?

Because it’s bold, ambitious and filled to the brim with story, songs and ideas. I hope you’ll leave feeling inspired by a brilliant woman who you may or may not have heard of before, but also by the brilliant women who you see in your own life. I hope you’ll feel seen and filled with some of Mary’s fire, ready to face the world afresh. 

Mary and the Hyenas will have its premiere at Hull Truck Theatre from 7 Feb-1 March and then transfer to the Wilton’s Music Hall from 18-29 March. Tickets are available on the following link.

By Guillermo Nazara