A Drama. A Comedy. A Musical Tale.
The Première of a Blistering Solo Musical. Performed by Andrée Bernard.
“A wry, sharply observed & comic view of modern woman. Not for the faint hearted” — Steven Berkoff
A unique solo musical with an original script, nine original songs and an original under-score throughout, What (is) a Woman is a one woman show of astounding inventiveness, where the singular actress plays all the men.
What (is) a Woman, set over four decades, is a woman’s story of love, laughter and those invited along for the ride. This brand new play takes us on a thrilling, hilarious and familiar journey that resonates with every single gender. The piece, speaks directly to audiences of today, heralding what it 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.
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Running time
120 minutes (including interval) -
Age guidance
13+
"Outstanding new writing, brilliantly acted"
"A musical play that feels deeply intimate"
The Company
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Andrée Bernard
Writer & Performer
Andrée Bernard
Writer & Performer
Andrée is a critically acclaimed TV, Film and Theatre actress. Her TV Series credits include: Hollyoaks, Only Fools & Horses, Doctor Who, Poirot, The Brittas Empire and Holby City. Her West End Theatre includes: Sheila in Hair (Old Vic), Lois Lane in the RSC’s Kiss Me Kate (Old Vic & Savoy) and Eve in 6 Actors In Search Of A Director (Charing Cross Theatre). Other theatre highlights include: Steven Berkoff’s The Actor’s Lament (Edinburgh & UK Tour), Side By Side By Sondheim (Toronto) and Cassie in A Chorus Line (Derby Playhouse). What (is) A Woman marks Andrée’s debut as a writer and composer for the stage.
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Michael Strassen
Director
Michael Strassen
Director
Michael is an award winning theatre director. His extensive directing in London includes: Billy (Best Director, Off West End Awards) Assassins (Best Production, Off West End Awards), The Fix (Best musical nomination, Off West End Awards), Pacific Overtures (Union Theatre) and Tommy (Greenwich Theatre). Other theatre highlights include: Passion (Hope Mill Theatre), Pippin (Lyric Theatre, Hong Kong), The Railway Children (Leatherhead Theatre) and the 50th Anniversary Concert of Godspell (Broadway.HD)
“Michael Strassen is one the most innovative and admired directors in recent years” Arlene Phillips
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Daniel Looseley
Musical Director
Daniel Looseley
Musical Director
Daniel has an MA in Musical Direction from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts (2022 Distinction) and a First Class Honours Music Undergraduate Degree from Royal Holloway University of London.
Daniel’s recent Musical Direction work includes: Urinetown (Portsmouth New Theatre Royal), Flashdance (PPA), Legally Blonde (PPA) and Grads Sing Sondheim (The Other Palace), as well as being Orchestrator MD for Dick Whittington and Aladdin (Esher Theatre) and City Of Dreams (Esher Theatre). For Mountview Academy, Daniel was Assistant Musical Director on: Smile, The Allocated, The Music Man and Les Misérables.
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Lucie Pankhurst
Choreographer
Lucie Pankhurst
Choreographer
Lucie is a choreographer for Theatre, TV, Film and commercials, including the National Theatre, ENO, BBC, Netflix, Sky and Disney. Lucie’s theatre credits include: Othello (National Theatre), The Invincibles (Queens Theatre), Much Ado About Nothing (English Shakespeare Company), Calamity Jane (Bridewell) and ‘Orrible Opera (BBC Proms/ENO). TV credits include: Rivals (Disney+), Heartstopper (Netflix), Motherland (BBC) and series 2-7 of Horrible Histories (BBC). Films include: Florence Foster Jenkins (Stephen Frears/Pathe) , Lady Chatterley’s Lover (Jed Mecurio/Hartswood) and Maleficent (Disney).
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Zoé Ritchie
Lighting Designer
Zoé Ritchie
Lighting Designer
Zoé is a French and British lighting designer and technician who trained in Paris and at Rose Bruford College London. Her lighting design for theatre includes: Knocking On The Wall (Finborough Theatre, London), Mère (Théâtre 13, Paris) and La Réunification des Deux Corées (Conservatoire Darius Millhaud, Paris). Zoé was re-lighter for Sucker Punch (UK Tour), 1983 (Compagnie Nova, French Tour) and Charlie and Stan (UK Tour). Her lighting for dance includes: Grown Men Keep Breaking My Heart (Blue Elephant Theatre), Illegal Dance (UK Tour) and Coiled Up (Clay Arts Centre). Zoé was assistant lighting designer on First Touch (Nottingham Playhouse).
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Jess Martin
Bass Player
Jess Martin
Bass Player
Originally from South Wales, Jess moved to London in 2016 to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and later the Royal Academy of Music. She enjoys playing a wide variety of music and regularly performs on both the upright and electric bass. Recent highlights have included Bigmouth Strikes again: The Smiths Show at Soho Theatre and Tristan and Isolde with the London Philharmonic Orchestra at the Glyndebourne Opera House.
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Jacqueline Ruth Grad
Producer
Jacqueline Ruth Grad
Producer
Jacqueline Ruth Grad is a US based producer and a proud graduate of Emerson College, Boston, MA.
Her credits include: Producer/ Managing Director (Alley Theatre, Boston)
Founder/Producer/Artistic Director (Central Florida Theatre for Young People), Producer/Creative
Director (South London Talent Showcase)Ms. Grad believes that Andree Bernard’s What (is) a Woman ignites the powerful journey of a
postmodern feminine aesthetic through the voice of women’s empowerment, struggle, and resilience
of the human spirit. Her play is a story that deserves to be told.
Dedicated to her husband, Mitch Menaker -
Chloé Nelkin Consultants
Press Representative