About the Play:

The Lady's Not for Burning was one of Royal National Theatre of Britain's top 100 plays of the 20th century.

The Lady's Not for Burning has long been a favourite of acting teachers for Female/Male Scenes.

The Lady's Not for Burning is a full-length lyrical romantic comedy by Christopher Fry. An unlikely romance emerges as charismatic soldier bursts through the mayor's window, announces he is a murderer and demands to be hanged. To his dismay the villagers refuse because they are more determined to burn an attractive, independent-thinking woman they accuse of witchcraft. All in all, a rough day for a medieval town equally fond of prayer and torture.

The Lady's Not for Burning is a scorching poetic comedy that ignites a rousing debate on the merits of life and death, hope and despair, and courage and complicity. Thomas Mendip, a discharged soldier, weary of the world and eager to leave it, comes to a small town, announces he has committed murder and demands to be hanged. A philosophical humorist, Thomas is annoyed when the officials oppose his request, even believing he is not guilty of the crime he suggests. Shortly afterward, a young woman, Jennet, is brought before the Mayor for witchcraft, but for some strange reason she has no wish to be put to death! Thomas tries, in his own way, to prove to the official how absurd it would be to refuse to hang a man who wants to be hanged, and at the same time to kill a woman who is not only guiltless, but doesn't want to die. Jennet enjoys the banter, and soon sees the merit in Thomas the man. The Mayor's family members, clerks and officials gather for an impending wedding and seem to be stuck with the dilemma of two uninvited people – who may or may not be hanged in the morning – who must be included in the pre-nuptual activities. Through the party and the night, the intended bride slips off with the orphan clerk, two brothers fight over the bride and later become bored over her, the Mayor gets the vapours, Jennet becomes the guest of honour and poor Thomas falls helplessly in love. Luckily, Jennet has fallen for him too; and when the so-called murder victim is found alive and inebriated, Thomas can't be hanged. The family, having grown fond of Jennet, and with no proof of her witchcraft, leaves the question of hanging until morning, but Justice Tappercoom indicates he will turn a blind eye if she escapes. Jennet convinces Thomas that a life with her is worth putting off his hanging, and they run away together as dawn rises.

The Lady's Not for Burning premiered in 1948 at the Arts Theatre in London and was received so warmly that John Gielgud restaged it in the West End in 1949. Gielgud co-directed and cast himself as Thomas Mendip and also cast two unknown young actors who would both become stars: Richard Burton and Claire Bloom. The production won critical acclaim and had a successful run on Broadway, winning the New York Drama Critics Circle Award. It continues to be produced regularly, because of its delightful freshness, the dramatic thrust of its poetry and the sheer high spirits with which Christopher Fry has endowed his characters: a joy to producer and actor, as well as to the audience.

Cast: 3 female, 8 male

What people say:

"The epigraph for Fry's art is 'Shall we not suffer as wittily as we can?'... He wears his rue with a difference — of bright phrases, happy conceits and a rich heritage." — Harold Clurman, influential and respected American theatrical director and drama critic

"A poetic fantasy of rare splendor and delight … a work of magical humor and deep beauty." — New York Herald-Tribune

"A remarkable play." — Financial Times

"Fry's medieval setting, rich verbal conceits and self-puncturing irony delighted audiences, and the play became the flagship for the revival of poetic drama." — The Guardian

"Fry's voice is original and eloquent, and … those with an affinity for wordsmithery and philosophizing should find much to enjoy." — BackStage

About the Playwright:

Christopher Fry (1907-2005) was an English playwright. One of the most celebrated playwrights of the 20th century, he was one of the few to write successfully in verse leading many to regard him as the Shakespeare of his time for his poetry and wit. His first major success was A Phoenix Too Frequent, which made him a major force in theatre in the 1940s and 1950s. He is best known for his durable comedy The Lady's Not for Burning. He also wrote or collaborated on several screenplays including the script for Hollywood's 1959 epic motion picture Ben Hur.