In the 17th century, in an elegant house run by Lady Elizabeth (Lydia Leonard) and a handful of maids, stable girl Agnes (Alison Oliver) is a witch with lofty social ambitions. In Fausti’s pact with Elisabeth (who it is suggested has sold her soul to the Devil), she helps her mistress secure the inheritance of her large house.
A male heir is required for Elizabeth’s brother Edward (Leo Bell) to marry Catherine the Virgin (Ioanna Kempock), but she is eager to get married.
Sadly, though Unsteady Eddie is happy to annoy servant girls, he is reluctant to perform spousal duties with his wife. Meanwhile, England is on the brink of civil war.
There is no shortage of ideas in Raczka’s play but none are developed.
The limits of female empowerment in patriarchy, the fallacy of permanence, and social class divisions are all themes that float like driftwood that never coalesce to form a stage-worthy vessel, despite Robert Gould’s usual squeaky-clean direction.
And how can three shots be fired from a double-barreled shotgun without reloading? Magic, probably.
- Women, Beware the Devil, Almeida Theatre, London, until 25 March. Tickets: 020 7359 4404
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