What happens when two powerful women finally sit down together?
This February, Blackfriars Theatre invites audiences into a private moment that history never recorded — but perhaps should have.
Across the Square is a gripping new play that imagines a meeting between two of the most influential women of the early 20th century: Lady Ottoline Morrell, celebrated patron of the Bloomsbury Group, and Millicent Fawcett, the formidable leader of the suffragist movement.
Set on a cold December afternoon in 1917, the play begins with a simple act of kindness. Lady Ottoline crosses Bedford Square to offer her condolences following the death of Millicent Fawcett’s sister. Tea is poured. Polite conversation follows. But beneath the surface, two very different worlds are about to collide.
Ottoline moves among artists, poets and radicals, living a life shaped by creativity and controversy. Millicent has spent decades fighting patiently and strategically for women’s right to vote. Both are powerful. Both are influential. And both believe deeply that their way is the right one.
As the afternoon unfolds, grief gives way to honesty, tension and unexpected humour. Across the Square becomes a sharp, moving exploration of class, conviction, friendship and the personal cost of fighting for change.
Written by international award-winning playwright Non Vaughan-O’Hagan and directed by Alex Pearson, the play premiered at the Bloomsbury Festival before returning for a sell-out run at London’s Jermyn Street Theatre. Now, this acclaimed production arrives in Boston for a special one-night performance at Blackfriars Theatre.
Performed by Francesca Anderson and Vaughan-O’Hagan herself, the piece is intimate, intelligent and quietly powerful — the kind of theatre that draws audiences in close and stays with them long after the lights fade.
Across the Square will be performed at Blackfriars Theatre on Tuesday 10th February at 7.30pm.
Housed within one of the town’s oldest and most distinctive buildings, Blackfriars Theatre continues to bring nationally touring drama to local audiences, offering thoughtful, high-quality productions right in the heart of Boston.
Tickets are available now via the theatre’s box office and website, with concessions available.