Wilton’s Music Hall, London – until 29th March 2025
Reviewed by Celia Armand Smith
3***
The inspiring life and legacy of Mary Woolstonecraft are examined in this new musical from writer Maureen Lennon. Mary and the Hyenas follows the trailblazing Mary as she moves from Yorkshire to London via Ireland and France. We see the relationships she had with men and women, and the friendships she made within philosophy and literary circles, her experience of the French Revolution, and her attempted suicide when things go awry after the birth of her first child. It’s a lot to unpack in 2 hours.
We first meet Mary Wollstonecraft (Laura Elsworthy) at the birth of her daughter Mary, who would go on to become Mary Shelley of Frankenstein fame. As she becomes feverish from complications due to childbirth and with only 10 days to live, she revisits all of the vital dates leading up to this point, accompanied by the grown up Mary Shelley (Ainy Medina) in tow.
Esther Richardson’s production moves at speed through the years of Mary’s life. Elsworthy is a loud and punky Mary, while the rest of the cast take on multiple roles. Kate Hampson is funny as the over the top English aristo in Ireland Lady Kingsborough, and quietly kind as future husband of Wollstonecraft, William Godwin. Beth Crane, Kat Johns-Burke, and Elexi Walker round out a very talented cast.
Mary Wollstonecraft did so much in her relatively short life and though it is celebrated in this play, at no point are we allowed to learn about or sit with her accomplishments. Loud, synthy songs by musician BIlly Nomates punctuate the narrative, but add very little, and the shift from spoken word to singing is jarring and takes you out of the moment.
There is a lot of potential in this show, and goodness knows we need more shows about important women in history to educate and to entertain. Mary and the Hyenas is a novel telling of an extraordinary life, and I am sure Mary Wollstonecraft would be delighted to know that this all female team was interpreting her life and ideas for a new audience.