New World Theatre will present the world premiere production of Holy and Unruly by David Beardsley at the Hatbox Theatre from May 27 through June 12.
At the height of her power, Queen Elizabeth I experiences disturbing dreams, strange visions, and inexplicable moments of panic. A petition for justice from Grace O’Malley, an aristocratic Irish pirate feared from England to Africa, brings the Queen’s emotional crisis to a head, prompting her to revisit choices she made in the name of power — choices no man is asked to make.
When two of Europe’s most powerful and charismatic women meet, they wrestle with questions still relevant today: What does it take to rule your world and what are the costs?
“I think the best historical fiction does more than ‘tell history,’ ” playwright Beardsley said. “It resonates with the current moment in ways that help us recognize how we and the time we live in are connected to that history. That’s what I’m trying to do in Holy and Unruly, which is ultimately a play about gender equity and the ways society forces women to make choices and sacrifices that men are not asked to make.”
Beardsley is from Boston, Mass., and is currently a member of the Playwrights’ Collective at New World Theatre in Londonderry and Write On! (CentaStage, Boston). He serves on the board of Playwrights’ Platform, a collaborative for Boston-area playwrights, and he edits the New England New Play Alliance’s New Play Newsletter. Holy and Unruly, was a 2019 finalist for the Ashland New Plays Festival and a semi-finalist for the 2020 Bay Area Playwrights Festival. His plays have been performed across the U.S., Europe, and Australia. He is a member of the Dramatists Guild of America.
Performances at the Hatbow are Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m., and Sundays at 2 p.m. Tickets are $22 for adults, $19 for members, seniors and students, and $16 for senior members. Tickets may be reserved by calling 603-715-2315 or purchased online at hatboxnh.com.