Susan Swayne and the Bewildered Bride

by Reina Hardy

FULL LENGTH: Meet Susan Swayne and the Society of Lady Detectives – aside from their interest in swordplay, they’re all perfectly proper Victorian women. Or are they? When the distraught Isabelle Fontaine-Kite insists that a member of the S.O.L.D. is actually her missing husband, Eric, Susan Swayne is on the case! Cross-dressing, double-crosses, opium and topless fencing make for an period action farce with...

FULL LENGTH: Meet Susan Swayne and the Society of Lady Detectives – aside from their interest in swordplay, they’re all perfectly proper Victorian women. Or are they? When the distraught Isabelle Fontaine-Kite insists that a member of the S.O.L.D. is actually her missing husband, Eric, Susan Swayne is on the case! Cross-dressing, double-crosses, opium and topless fencing make for an period action farce with "sass and ovaries of steel" -Chicago Now.

“Mary Poppins meets The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen in Reina Hardy's action comedy about a Victorian-era "Society of Lady Detectives" – Chicago Reader

"An unabashed entertainment... Why should the men be the only ones who get to swashbuckle and engage in armed combat?" -Cincinnati Enquirer.

“Unfailingly decorous and impeccably eloquent even when taking down an attacker with her umbrella or feinting with a sword in her unmentionables, playwright Reina Hardy’s Susan Swayne is a delightful creation.” –Time Out Chicago

“Extravagant spectacle … a flying-petticoat fracas utilizing an array of household objects, knifework with a grisly hashshashin dagger and a splendiferous surprise-finish to the final girl-power showdown…. Hardy's script displays an articulate mastery of romantic-fiction conventions for this period… It's easy to envision Swayne and her feisty colleagues starring in a series of Steampunk-marketed graphic novels.”- Windy City Times

“Filled with robust feminism and a distinctively humorous glint, Babes With Blades Theatre Company’s world premiere of Reina Hardy’s Susan Swayne and the Bewildered Bride is full of gothic delights… Pulsing with a true sense of Victorian melodrama and broad humor, playwright Hardy creates a distinct world… her ultimately compassionate tale brims with juicy life.” -Sheridan Road Magazine

“It’s a mystery that also makes good use of dramatic irony, a farce that has some poignancy, and a feminist show with elements obviously geared toward men… I challenge anyone to attend and not come away with a smile.” – Chicago Theater Beat

"Unexpected twists and surprising turns... "a pack of unnatural women,” anachronistically ahead of their time, but fully prepared to keep audiences laughing."- Cincinnati City Beat

“Susan Swayne is Agatha Christie with sass and ovaries of steel… First in a series- I hope!” –Chicago Now

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Susan Swayne and the Bewildered Bride

Recommended by

  • Ky Weeks: Susan Swayne and the Bewildered Bride by Reina Hardy
    “

    Classy, sophisticated snobbery and relentless swashbuckling have always been a winning combination, and Hardy's deft writing and plot work makes it seem new again. Within this play you'll find twists, double-crossings, intrigue, love, and some incredibly entertaining characters making extraordinarily amusing choices. If ever you've had an itch for a classical Victorian-tinged swashbuckling romp with a lively pace and servings of solid material for a cast of skilled physical actors to work with, this is the romp you seek.

    Classy, sophisticated snobbery and relentless swashbuckling have always been a winning combination, and Hardy's deft writing and plot work makes it seem new again. Within this play you'll find twists, double-crossings, intrigue, love, and some incredibly entertaining characters making extraordinarily amusing choices. If ever you've had an itch for a classical Victorian-tinged swashbuckling romp with a lively pace and servings of solid material for a cast of skilled physical actors to work with, this is the romp you seek.

    ”
  • Cheryl Bear: Susan Swayne and the Bewildered Bride by Reina Hardy
    “

    A fantastic adventure that has us hooked as these women take on the case and uncover the mystery! Well done.

    A fantastic adventure that has us hooked as these women take on the case and uncover the mystery! Well done.

    ”
  • Barbara Lhota: Susan Swayne and the Bewildered Bride by Reina Hardy
    “

    Highly literary, articulate, smart, funny and witty, this play is exciting because it portrays Victorian women fighting and acting in ways we have never seen before.

    Highly literary, articulate, smart, funny and witty, this play is exciting because it portrays Victorian women fighting and acting in ways we have never seen before.

    ”

Character Information

There are three tiny male roles (Charles, Bartholomew and unnamed thug) that were doubled by the actors playing Adelaide and Madeline in the Babes with Blades production. In the Know Theater production, they added two male actors who also assisted with set changes.

  • Susan Swayne
    A Victorian spinster with excellent posture.
    40s
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      30s,
      40s,
      50s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Isabelle Fontaine-Kite
    A woman scorned, with untold depths of passion.
    Mid to late 20s
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Adelaide
    A proper young lady who always tries her best.
    17
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Madeline
    A giddy, and occasionally improper young lady.
    15
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      Teens,
      20s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Lacy Alice Bomberry
    The society’s founder and funder, rich, old and blustery.
    Stately
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      50s,
      60s,
      70s+
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female
  • Katherine Denn
    A charming, reckless woman with a swagger and a secret.
    Late 20s
    Can be played by:
    • Actor Age
      20s,
      30s
    • Actor Gender Identity
      Female,
      Non-binary

Production History

  • Professional, Know Theater, Cincinnati, 2018
  • Professional, Babes with Blades, Chicago, 2012

Awards

  • Joining Sword and Pen
    Babes With Blades
    Winner