Women Laughing
Encyclopedia
Women Laughing is a stage play written by Michael Wall
in 1989. It was first produced for the stage in 1992, just after the author’s death.
The original version of the play, which was for radio, contained only one act. A second was added for the stage production.
Women Laughing has been performed at the Royal Exchange
Manchester, the Royal Court Theatre
Upstairs, the Palace Theatre
Watford and was toured in 2000 by Not The National Theatre.
In this black comedy
, Colin and Stephanie have invited Tony and Maddy to lunch in Ealing
. As the men uneasily try at conversation, the laughter of their wives, which seems so uninhibited in comparison with the men's struggles at communication, is a constant interruption. The women finally join the men, and a confrontation results.
The stage play contains a second act, where these positions are reversed. Colin and Tony are now behaving freely, while the women feel more constrained.
The play moves from a garden party to the grounds of a mental hospital.
Michael Wall
Michael Wall , was a British playwright. He wrote over forty plays, the most well-known of which are Amongst Barbarians and Women Laughing....
in 1989. It was first produced for the stage in 1992, just after the author’s death.
The original version of the play, which was for radio, contained only one act. A second was added for the stage production.
Women Laughing has been performed at the Royal Exchange
Royal Exchange, Manchester
The Royal Exchange is a grade II listed Victorian building in Manchester, England. It is located in the city centre on the land bounded by St Ann’s Square, Exchange Street, Market Street, Cross Street and Old Bank Street...
Manchester, the Royal Court Theatre
Royal Court Theatre
The Royal Court Theatre is a non-commercial theatre on Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is noted for its contributions to modern theatre...
Upstairs, the Palace Theatre
Watford Palace Theatre
Watford Palace Theatre, opened in 1908, is an Edwardian Grade II listed building on Clarendon Road, Watford.- Refurbishment :In September 2004 the theatre re-opened after a two year £8.8million Lottery funded refurbishment, which included more public space, two bars, a daytime café, air cooling and...
Watford and was toured in 2000 by Not The National Theatre.
Plot and Characters
While the husbands stand outside on the terrace, drinking and boasting; their wives are inside talking about those husbands (and laughing).In this black comedy
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
, Colin and Stephanie have invited Tony and Maddy to lunch in Ealing
Ealing
Ealing is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
. As the men uneasily try at conversation, the laughter of their wives, which seems so uninhibited in comparison with the men's struggles at communication, is a constant interruption. The women finally join the men, and a confrontation results.
The stage play contains a second act, where these positions are reversed. Colin and Tony are now behaving freely, while the women feel more constrained.
The play moves from a garden party to the grounds of a mental hospital.