
By SARAH RUHL
22 April – 17 May 2025
“A flick of the finger – On, off, on off! We shall be like gods!”
In the spa town of Saratoga Springs, shortly after the end of the American Civil War and at the dawn of electricity, trailblazing GP Dr Givings specializes in gynaecological disorders.
His treatment of women suffering from ‘hysteria’ involves a revolutionary new ‘massage device’ that produces a ‘paroxysm’.
Lonely and sexually frustrated, his young wife Catherine befriends one of her husband’s patients and becomes increasingly fascinated by his electrical-powered instruments, and the strange sounds emanating from ‘the next room’.
This clever, funny, profoundly thoughtful play throws a feminist light on the emotional and physical neglect endured by women in a male-dominated society.
“This brilliant play is, to put it mildly, an eye-opener!” The Guardian
Shows (Silver & Bronze Membership)
26/04/2025 7.30pm (AEST) | Admin Fee $16.50 | Book Tickets
27/04/2025 2.00pm (AEST) | Admin Fee $16.50 | Book Tickets
New Theatre
542 King Street
Newtown, New South Wales
2000
Australia