The Welkin
by Lucy Kirkwood
directed by Sarah Benson
Linda Gross Theater
May 16 – July 7, 2024
We are thrilled to welcome Tony Award nominee Lucy Kirkwood (The Children) alongside Obie Award winning director Sarah Benson (Fairview).
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Rural England, 1759. As the country awaits the return of Halley’s comet, a young woman is sentenced to death. When she tries to escape the noose by claiming she is pregnant, twelve ordinary women are gathered to decide whether she is telling the truth. A dark, fierce, funny play about democracy and housework.
Reviews
“Left the theater breathless! The impressive script & likewise direction snap to life in the form of a robust ensemble led by Sandra Oh as a grounded sympathetic heroine. Each one is memorable.”
MAYA PHILLIPS, THE NEW YORK TIMES
“Sandra Oh and a Cast of Downtown All-Stars Illuminate a Period Thriller. Kirkwood can write with a gunslinger’s ease. Benson’s directorial touch is extravagantly precise. A superb cast!”
HELEN SHAW, the New yorker
“The Welkin is all muscle — taut and intense, energized not only by its moral indignation but by its sense of humor, and by the specific humanity of each of its large cast of characters.”
sarah holdren, vulture
“Amazing cast! These actors showcase Kirkwood’s wicked humor to perfection. What a delight it is to see a large ensemble on stage together and a theater company not afraid to give them that space to perform.”
Robert hofler, The wrap
“Kirkwood is a courageous writer digging into pre-modern feminism in visceral, startling ways. Obscenely gifted performers! Will it take another 75 years for such a cluster of talent to burn across the heavens? Keep looking up.”
David Cote, the observer
“Superb performances. A mesmerizing, harrowing production, directed with biting wit and haunting empathy by Sarah Benson.”
Elysa gardner, new york sun
“The Welkin is astonishingly original and daring, darkly funny and terrifying at once. Kirkwood here is an absolute master. Sandra Oh, returning to the New York stage after a twenty-year absence, gives a performance that would surely win her a Tony if this production were on Broadway. Long story short: I loved it.”
Cameron Kelsall and David Fox, reclining standards
Creative Team
Cast
The Welkin was made possible by a generous grant from The Roy Cockrum Foundation.
The Roy Cockrum Foundation – Founded in 2014 by Roy Cockrum and Benita Hofstetter Koman with winnings from Mr. Cockrum’s Powerball lottery jackpot, the Foundation’s mission is to award grants to support world-class performing arts projects in not-for-profit professional theatres throughout America. Since 2014, 38 flagship American theatres and performing arts organizations have received major grants from the Foundation. Inspiration for its mission derives from a Camus quote: “Without culture, and the relative freedom it implies, society, even when perfect, is but a jungle. This is why any authentic creation is a gift to the future.” ― Albert Camus, The Myth of Sisyphus and Other Essays.
The Welkin was also produced with the generous support of FourthWall Theatrical and The Laura Pels International Foundation for Theater.