THE YELLOW WALLPAPER to Open at Wanstead Fringe Festival

Charlotte Perkins Gilman's groundbreaking gothic classic The Yellow Wallpaper is reimagined in a new adaptation coming to The Bull, Wanstead, as part of the Wanstead Fringe Festival this Autumn. Running for two performances only on 23 and 24 September.

Confined to a room and dismissed at every turn, one woman finds herself drawn to the strange patterns she begins to see creeping across the walls around her. As reality unravels, the wallpaper grows harder to ignore, and what hides behind it becomes impossible to escape. First published in 1892, Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper has endured as a landmark work of feminist literature, confronting how women's experiences are dismissed, controlled and pathologised. More than 130 years later, its themes remain powerfully resonant. Questions about women's autonomy, mental health, power, and whose voices are heard continue to shape public conversation, making Gilman's story feel remarkably contemporary. Dark, visceral and unsettlingly relevant, this bold new production explores what happens when a woman's voice goes unheard for too long.

The adaptation is written and directed by Shea Donovan, actor, producer and Artistic Director of Indigo Arts Collective. Donovan's work focuses on bringing overlooked stories and voices into conversation with contemporary audiences, often exploring how historical experiences connect to issues we face today. Her research practice explores the intersection of history, memory and social justice, and she has developed projects for organisations such as Project Phakama and The Midnight Run. Shea has an MA in Contemporary Performance Practice from the University of East London and an MFA in Acting from East 15 Acting School, where she currently guest lectures on the MA/MFA Acting course.

"While The Yellow Wallpaper was written in the nineteenth century, the questions it raises are unfortunately still with us," says Donovan. "This adaptation looks at why the story continues to resonate and invites audiences to experience it in a new and immediate way."

Previous Indigo Arts Collective projects include the critically acclaimed By the Light of the Moon (Hollywood Fringe, Edinburgh Fringe, Camden Fringe, The Old Red Lion, The Manhattan Repertory Theatre), the award-winning short film Choreography Confined, SHE(ME): Reclaiming Shame, the International Women's Day Festival at the Hope Theatre, and the RAW Artists award-winning Sonnet Response Series.

The role of The Woman is played by Kenzie Wynne, whose theatre credits include Odd, The Rocky Horror Show, Spring Awakening, and regional educational tours of Macbeth and A Midsummer Night's Dream with The Warehouse Theatre, as well as a recent successful run of Gruesome Playground Injuries in Nashville, Tennessee. Kenzie holds a B.A. in Theatre Arts from Furman University and an MFA in Acting from East 15 Acting School in London. During her graduate studies, she performed in Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare's Globe through East 15's educational partnership and appeared in Pericles at London's Tristan Bates Theatre. Screen credits include Aaron Mirtes' Wicked of Oz, Taylor Dupuis' Where the Hell Is Anna, premiering this year at the Nashville Film Festival, and Carson Butcher's one-shot thriller Midnight '96.

The role of John is voiced by Sean Dale, an Atlanta-based actor, director and educator whose theatre credits include the Alliance Theatre, Texas Shakespeare Festival, Utah Shakespeare Festival, Atlanta Shakespeare Company, Edinburgh Fringe and London's Arcola Theatre. He holds an MFA in Acting from East 15 Acting School and has performed extensively across the US and UK. His recent credits include Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and The Book Club Play at the Utah Shakespeare Festival, as well as Hands Up at the Alliance Theatre.

Founded in 2013, Wanstead Fringe is East London's annual arts festival and will celebrate its 14th year this September. The festival showcases theatre, comedy, music, film, literature and community arts across a diverse range of local venues, bringing together established artists, emerging talent and local organisations in a vibrant celebration of creativity.

PERFORMANCE DETAILS

Don't Miss a UK / West End News Story
Sign up for all the news on the Summer season, discounts & more...