Her Naked Skin
Encyclopedia
Her Naked Skin is a 2008 play by Rebecca Lenkiewicz
. It is notable as the first play by a female writer to be produced on the main stage (the Olivier Theatre) at the Royal National Theatre
, where it premiered on 24 July 2008. The premiere was directed by Howard Davies. In an interview, the National's director Nicholas Hytner
stated "[Rebecca's] new play ... will take its place in the Olivier rep alongside work by Shaw, Middleton and Tony Harrison. But what is astonishing is that this will be, as far as anyone can recall, the first play ever by a woman writer to be seen on the National's biggest stage."
committing suicide at the Derby and ending with the outbreak of World War I
. It is centred around a love-affair between two fictional suffragettes, one upper-class (played in the premiere by Lesley Manville
) and the other working-class (played in the premiere by Jemima Rooper
).
Lenkiewicz has written "I used to work at the National Film Theatre as an usherette and on my breaks I'd often go out to the river with a cup of tea and scour the bookstalls under Waterloo Bridge
. One large paperback volume Shoulder to Shoulder
cried out to me to be bought. It was by Midge Mackenzie
and was a documentary account of the suffragettes. It was a battered copy and cost a tenner...and from devouring that book came my urge to write about the period and a desire to put those women into the foreground once more; their bravery and brilliance."
Some critics also felt the lesbian love affair was concentrated on at the expense of the historical background, though some have argued against such as criticism
* = Also credited as Ensemble
Rebecca Lenkiewicz
Rebecca Lenkiewicz is a British playwright. She attended Plymouth High School for Girls, then progressed to a BA in Film and English at the University of Kent from 1985 to 1989 and then to a BA Acting Course at the Central School of Speech and Drama from 1996 to 1999.-Career:As a writer, her plays...
. It is notable as the first play by a female writer to be produced on the main stage (the Olivier Theatre) at the Royal National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
, where it premiered on 24 July 2008. The premiere was directed by Howard Davies. In an interview, the National's director Nicholas Hytner
Nicholas Hytner
Sir Nicholas Robert Hytner is an English film and theatre producer and director. He has been the artistic director of London's National Theatre since 2003.-Biography:...
stated "[Rebecca's] new play ... will take its place in the Olivier rep alongside work by Shaw, Middleton and Tony Harrison. But what is astonishing is that this will be, as far as anyone can recall, the first play ever by a woman writer to be seen on the National's biggest stage."
Plot
The play is set during British women's struggle for the vote in the early 20th century, beginning with a suffragetteSuffragette
"Suffragette" is a term coined by the Daily Mail newspaper as a derogatory label for members of the late 19th and early 20th century movement for women's suffrage in the United Kingdom, in particular members of the Women's Social and Political Union...
committing suicide at the Derby and ending with the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. It is centred around a love-affair between two fictional suffragettes, one upper-class (played in the premiere by Lesley Manville
Lesley Manville
Lesley Manville is an award-winning English actress.-Early life:Born in Brighton, Manville was raised in Hove, East Sussex, one of three daughters of a taxicab driver. Training as a soprano singer from age 8, she twice became under-18 champion of Sussex...
) and the other working-class (played in the premiere by Jemima Rooper
Jemima Rooper
Jemima Rooper is an English actress.- Background :Born in Hammersmith, London, Rooper is the daughter of TV journalist Alison Rooper. She attended Redcliffe Primary School in Chelsea, London and Godolphin and Latymer girls' school. While working on The Famous Five, she passed eight GCSEs with A*...
).
Inception
In a National Theatre programme note,Lenkiewicz has written "I used to work at the National Film Theatre as an usherette and on my breaks I'd often go out to the river with a cup of tea and scour the bookstalls under Waterloo Bridge
Waterloo Bridge
Waterloo Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge crossing the River Thames in London, England between Blackfriars Bridge and Hungerford Bridge. The name of the bridge is in memory of the British victory at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815...
. One large paperback volume Shoulder to Shoulder
Shoulder to Shoulder
"Shoulder to Shoulder" was a book and 1974 BBC TV miniseries of the women's suffrage movement both by Midge Mackenzie.The book documents the lives and works of some of Britain's leading "suffragettes." It includes many excerpts from their speeches, diaries, letters, memoirs, other writings and...
cried out to me to be bought. It was by Midge Mackenzie
Midge Mackenzie
Midge MacKenzie was a Dublin-born writer and filmmaker who first become notable with her multimedia production Astarte, with the Joffrey Ballet, and with Women Talking, a documentary with interviews of Kate Millett, Betty Friedan and other leading figures in the US women’s liberation...
and was a documentary account of the suffragettes. It was a battered copy and cost a tenner...and from devouring that book came my urge to write about the period and a desire to put those women into the foreground once more; their bravery and brilliance."
Reception
Most of the critical reaction to the premiere was good, managing four stars in the Evening Standard, Guardian, Independent and Time Out and three in the Times, though the critic from The Times criticised what he saw as the caricaturing of the male characters.Some critics also felt the lesbian love affair was concentrated on at the expense of the historical background, though some have argued against such as criticism
Cast
- Emily Wilding Davison - Zoe Aldrich*
- John SeelyJ. E. B. Seely, 1st Baron MottistoneJohn Edward Bernard Seely, 1st Baron Mottistone CB, CMG, DSO, PC, TD was a British soldier and politician. He was a Conservative Member of Parliament from 1900 to 1904 and a Liberal MP from 1904 to 1922 and from 1923 to 1924...
/ Hunt - Julien Ball - Herbert Asquith - David Beames*
- Doctor Klein/ Augustine Birrel - Ken BonesKen BonesKen Bones is a British actor best known for his television, film and stage appearances. He is a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company.-Theatre appearances:...
- Flower Lady - Elicia Daly*
- Ensemble - Joe Dunlop
- Florence Boorman - Susan EngelSusan EngelSusan Engel is a British actress.-Theatre:Engel's work in theatre includes: Angels in America , Richard III, King Lear , The Good Person of Sezuan, Watch on the Rhine , Spring Awakening, The Hour We Knew Nothing Of Each Other and Her Naked Skin at the National Theatre, London; Women...
- Mrs Briggs - Stephanie Jacob
- Wardress - Ruth Keeling*
- Doctor Vale - Dermot Kerrigan*
- Mrs Major - Barbara Kirby*
- Felicity - Anna Lowe*
- Doctor Parker - Nick Malinowski*
- Celia Cain - Lesley ManvilleLesley ManvilleLesley Manville is an award-winning English actress.-Early life:Born in Brighton, Manville was raised in Hove, East Sussex, one of three daughters of a taxicab driver. Training as a soprano singer from age 8, she twice became under-18 champion of Sussex...
- Edward GreyEdward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of FallodonEdward Grey, 1st Viscount Grey of Fallodon KG, PC, FZL, DL , better known as Sir Edward Grey, Bt, was a British Liberal statesman. He served as Foreign Secretary from 1905 to 1916, the longest continuous tenure of any person in that office...
- Simon Markey* - Mrs Schliefke - Pamela Merrick
- Charlie Power - Gerard MonacoGerard MonacoGerard Monaco is a British actor who trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.Monaco’s first film was Mike Leigh’s Vera Drake. He has since had roles in movies including Starter for Ten, Jane Campion’s Bright Star and Jerry Bruckhiemier’s Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, directed by...
- Guard - Edward Newborn*
- Miss Brint - Harriette Quarrie*
- William Cain - Adrian RawlinsAdrian RawlinsAdrian Rawlins is an English actor who is probably best known for playing Author Kidd in the woman in black .-Early life:Rawlins was born in Stoke-on-Trent, the son of Mavis and Edward Rawlins.-Education:...
- Eve Douglas - Jemima RooperJemima RooperJemima Rooper is an English actress.- Background :Born in Hammersmith, London, Rooper is the daughter of TV journalist Alison Rooper. She attended Redcliffe Primary School in Chelsea, London and Godolphin and Latymer girls' school. While working on The Famous Five, she passed eight GCSEs with A*...
- Nurse - Stephanie Thomas*
- Brown/ Potter - Tony Turner
- Keir HardieKeir HardieJames Keir Hardie, Sr. , was a Scottish socialist and labour leader, and was the first Independent Labour Member of Parliament elected to the Parliament of the United Kingdom...
/ Cecil - Robert Willox - Mrs Collins - Deborah Winckles*
Crew
- Director - Howard Davies
- Designer - Rob Howell
- Lighting Designer - Neil Austin
- Projection Designer - Jon Driscoll
- Music - Harvey Brough
- Sound Designer - Paul GroothuisPaul GroothuisPaul Groothuis is an award-winning sound designer who has had a long and prolific career on the London stage. Groothuis was born in Holland and moved to the UK in 1979 to study Stage Management at the Central School of Speech and Drama. He joined the National Theatre on the South Bank in 1984 and...