'A Very Great Mischief' at Theater for the New City

Written by emerging playwright Laura Anthony (they/them),  A Very Great Mischief tells the story of two British families turned upside down by the discovery that homoerotic tendencies are not exclusively male, no matter what the laws of Great Britain might declare.

The events which occur in this comedy of manners are inspired by the true story of a resolution to add 'acts of indecency by females' to then already-extant buggery laws of Great Britain. The clause was presented in August 1921 to amend Section 11 of the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1885, which was used to send Oscar Wilde to prison in 1895, for ‘committing acts of gross indecency with male persons. Such an amendment was lambasted by the Earl of Desart as 'a very great mischief' that would not deter women from same-sex encounters, but rather inform those who were not aware that they could engage in such acts.

Please note that these performances are held live in New York City. Vaccination cards or proof of a negative COVID test will be required to enter the building, and masks must be worn at all times.

Cast

Laura Anthony, Cyréne Saussignac

Jessi Baden-Campbell, Lady Dorothea Thurston

Mari Blake, Miss Christine Granville

Andrea Rose Cardoni, Miss Roxane Thurston

Sky Nelson, Lewis Braye

Cameron Pillitteri, Mr. Antony Granville

Mark Simmons, Lord Cecil Thurston

Crew

Crystal Field, Executive Producer

L.A. Mars, Director

Rose Hanahan, Assistant Director

Lisa Geerhart, Stage Manager

Erin Sabat, Assistant Stage Manager

Anne Bobis, Costumer

Thomas Donohoe, Technician