Pulitzer Prize finalist, poet, essayist, professor, and playwright Sarah Ruhl packs a literary punch in her upcoming dark contemporary play about a historical tragedy, Becky Nurse of Salem.
Tackling not only the sexualization of women throughout history and the current opioid crisis, Becky Nurse of Salem also dismantles Arthur Miller’s The Crucible and compares it to modern “witch hunt” themes we still suffer in society today.
As a tour guide for the Salem Museum of Witchcraft and a descendant of Rebecca Nurse, who was executed for witchcraft in 1692, Becky Nurse is just trying to make ends meet while raising her grandchild, who has been hospitalized for depression.
In the opening pages, we see that Becky is not one to stick to a script. She is explicit, unfiltered, and brutally honest as she calls out John Proctor during a tour, saying, “John Proctor molested—(sees a teacher who looks disapproving)—sorry, courted—Abigail.” Unfortunately, not everyone appreciates her bold commentary. Becky is quickly fired as a tour guide and then chased by security as she tries to leave with what she calls her “birthright”: a wax statue of Rebecca Nurse. Things get even more out of hand when Becky meets a local witch who claims she can help Becky break a curse from her past and reclaim her life.
With wit, sarcasm, a sprinkling of self-sabotage, and a few spells, Becky Nurse of Salem is a fiercely feminist narrative centered around a grandmother’s love and the courage to make your own destiny. It is a perfect fall feminist read.
Image via TCG Books
