We sat down with director, Esther Richardson, to discuss her newest show, Mary And The Hyenas which premieres at Wilton’s Music Hall on the 18th March. A collaboration between Pilot Theatre and Hull Truck Theatres, written by Maureen Lennon and accompanied by original songs from Billy Nomates, this play tells the story of the life of the iconic 18th century British writer, philosopher and advocate of women’s rights, Mary Wollstonecraft.
What drew you to direct Mary and the Hyenas, and how did you approach bringing Mary Wollstonecraft’s story to life on stage?
I first encountered Mary Wollstonecraft at university a long time ago, and her life story made a lasting impression on me. Theatre has always been my passion, and as I progressed in my career, the idea of staging a story about Wollstonecraft lingered at the back of my mind. I was curious but couldn’t quite figure out how to approach it.
Then Maureen Lennon came along with the idea of a production that would introduce Wollstonecraft’s story to young women today. She suggested a big-hearted approach that acknowledged the tragedy of her life but also highlighted what she achieved, with fantastic songs running through the show, making her key ideas and life lessons accessible. I thought it was a brilliant concept, and that’s how the collaboration began and the project took shape.
How did you collaborate with Maureen Lennon and Billy Nomates to balance the theatrical and musical elements of the production?
That’s an easy one—the music itself is inherently theatrical. In many ways, it’s the music that gives the show its theatricality. There’s nothing that heightens a stage experience quite like music. So the balance between the two felt natural and seamless. And it has been amazing to work with Maureen and Tor, and Emily Levy the musical director, on the development of the project.
What unique directorial choices did you make to convey Mary Wollstonecraft’s rebellious spirit and feminist legacy?
I work with an ensemble-based approach, where a group of actors often takes on the role of storytellers who directly address the audience. This framing allows us to unapologetically present the actors as storytellers and helps the audience accept them playing multiple roles. In this production, six performers portray over 30 characters, which is typical of Pilot’s style.
Directorially, I aimed for a fluid, fast-moving, and stripped-back production that invites the audience to use their imagination to fill in the gaps. I believe theatre is a gym for the imagination, so I provide clues rather than showing everything. When the story is well-told, well-acted, and well-written, the audience’s imagination fills in the rest.
Finally in my work and this show is a typical example, I try and work with women in as many roles as possible, and run a democratic rehearsal room which is very noisy and very collaborative with those in it taking on different forms of leadership as actors, as creatives, and in technical roles – the vision is for the show to breathe with a shared vision that is built collectively. I’d argue that whole approach speaks best to my ideas about feminism and rebellious spirit, certainly inspired by the great feminists from history,
How did you work with the cast to ensure the emotional depth and historical significance of the characters were fully realized?
Our ensemble approach starts with embodying the characters, working first and foremost from Maureen’s text. She conducted extensive research, which breathes through the play and offers three-dimensional portrayals of the many people Mary encounters.
In the rehearsal room, we also undertake a lot of research during the first week, engaging in what we call table work. We dive into books, online resources, and historical materials, including writings and paintings by or about the characters. However, it’s not an academic exercise—we only take what’s useful for embodying believable, human, and complex characters. Ultimately, the text Maureen has written remains our most important guide.
What do you hope audiences will take away from experiencing Mary and the Hyenas?
I hope audiences leave feeling deeply inspired by the production, by the lessons of Mary Wollstonecraft’s life, by the music, and by the incredible work of the actors. Most importantly, I hope they feel motivated to continue playing their part in the ongoing pursuit of gender equality and equity. The final lines of the play include the words, “We can change the world,” and that’s the kind of inspiration we want to leave in everyone’s hearts and minds.