(the) Woman

(the) Woman, written by Jane Upton and based on personal experience, examines the struggles and contradictions of what new mothers are told and how everyone has an opinion. Directed by New Perspectives artistic director Angharad Jones, it runs at Park Theatre from 24 September - 25 October 2025.

When a successful playwright swaps long writing sessions for snatched moments of peace, and wild nights out for evenings in with a newborn, she’s left wondering how she’s supposed to continue being a successful artist, wife, and friend while everything she knew has changed. The Bruntwood Prize shortlisted, metatheatrical play moves between M—burnt out, angry, lonely, craving intimacy but disengaged, and terrified of the future—and the plot of the play she’s writing for her male producers. Sinking in exhaustion and self-doubt, M starts digging at the secrets of the system she’s in; unpicking where she came from in an attempt to navigate this new version of herself. (the) Woman, is a funny and painful scream from the abyss of early motherhood.

Written by Jane Upton, (the) Woman is based on her experiences as a woman formed in the 90’s losing herself in the transition from single woman to motherhood. It examines how becoming a parent changes a woman’s currency (though she’s told it shouldn’t), the compromises she makes (whilst being told she can have it all) and the level of masking that happens (because talking about your children or your needs is ‘just not interesting’).

Jane Upton said, “When I started writing (the) Woman I was in a really raw state of mind and early motherhood. The catalyst was an ex from school saying he expected more of me than having kids in our hometown. I wrote the play from such a state of honesty, rage and suffocation. It’s pretty divisive so I was quite scared when it went out on tour. Scared and elated to have this chance to speak. It’s been an intense experience so far.”

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