What (is) a Woman at Arcola Theatre

A new solo musical play with an illuminating script, nine original songs and stunning underscore, What (is) a Woman is a one woman show of astounding inventiveness, where one actress plays all the men. What (is) A Woman is the remarkable new production from critically acclaimed TV and West End actress, Andrée Bernard (Poirot, ITV; Hollyoaks, Channel 4; Only Fools and Horses, BBC One). 

An early workshop of What (is) a Woman was described by renowned writer and director Steven Berkoff as a wry, sharply observed, and comic view of modern woman. Not for the faint hearted.

What (is) a Woman is set over four decades and tells one woman's story of love, sex, lies, and laughter. It touches on themes of identity, femininity, and gender dynamics in a heartfelt and often humorous way. The entire piece is written by Bernard and is the culmination of her years as an exemplary theatre practitioner (Hair, The Old Vic; Kiss Me Kate, The Old Vic and The Savoy Theatre; 6 Actors in Search of a Director, Charing Cross Theatre).

What (is) a Woman is directed by award winning director Michael Strassen (Billy, Union Theatre [Best Director, Off West End Awards]; Assassins, Union Theatre [Best Production, Off West End Awards]). Michael is joined by choreographer Lucie Pankhurst whose credits span theatre, TV and film including the National Theatre, ENO, BBC, and Netflix, and by musical director Daniel Looseley, a recent graduate of Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.

As writer and performer, Andrée Bernard comments, What it means to be a woman is a hot topic. I’m still figuring out how to do it and this play is an exploration of that. The piece speaks directly to audiences of today, asking what it really is to be a woman in an era of empowerment with raw, authentic and uninhibited writing. It is, at its heart, a very human journey. She continues, Things have changed for women: dating, romance, independence, acceptance, identity but to be honest, they’ve changed for men too. Being flawed, making mistakes and getting hurt are universal. That’s what I hope will resonate with the audience - with toe-tapping tunes along the way!