The Female of the Species | Cut & Run Productions

Images: Jamine Prasser

Misery by way of pop feminism, The Female of the Species is a stellar show that simultaneously lampoons and celebrates the vast field of feminist literature & gender theory.

I went into The Female of the Species knowing nothing other than its title and general concept, and I was a little wary - I had been burnt by local theatre’s attempts to comedically take down heady political arguments before, and was hoping not to repeat the experience. Luckily, these concerns were dispelled almost immediately, and I left the show proselytising to all my friends who would be even slightly interested the second I left the theatre.

The Female of the Species follows pop feminist author Margot Mason as she struggles to finish the manuscript for her already overdue book, much to her publisher’s chagrin. She can’t even come up with a title - that is, until Molly Rivers arrives in her house, armed with an encyclopaedic knowledge of her work and a loaded gun. Shenanigans ensue, and Margot is forced to reckon with the very real impacts of her writing. Despite what may seem to be a pretty straightforward and slightly serious concept, The Female of the Species is anything but. With the cast expanding from two to six over the course of the play, the show stays interesting and exciting the whole time, shifting from dramatic to comedic in an instant, but without any whiplash. It’s this extended cast that helps the show to shine as much as it does - I won’t say too much, for fear of spoilers, but I was particularly enamored by the dynamic between Margot’s daughter and her husband, and the myriad ways in which their characters interacted with the others onstage. 

Images: Jamine Prasser

Originally written by Joanne Murray-Smith in 2006, The Female of the Species seems oddly prescient. Before researching, I had assumed it was a new work, but it predates the popularly accepted conception of the fourth wave of feminism by six years. Perhaps it is this removal from current contexts that allows it to be cutting - there are no token gestures to The Manosphere™ here, nor any reference to the ‘She-E-O’ brand of choice feminism so popular online. Instead, The Female of the Species refers specifically to ideas and actions - ones that, unfortunately, have only calcified over time. Murray-Smith presents a world in which actions have consequences, and actively calls out these potential consequences via the oscillation of feminist theory from one radical worldview to another in a matter of years. Again, this feels oddly relevant - currently diminishing numbers of self-described feminists and the rise of the self-aware Trad Wife feels miles away from the 2022 femcel misandrist, or the 2019 bimbo-feminism trend (the list could go on). The only critique I could really level at The Female of the Species is that, in the tradition of mid-aughts political theatre, it seems to simply list problems with every possible option without proposing any alternatives. This wasn’t enough to detract from the show for me, just something that I was left considering. I could tell that Murray-Smith didn’t care for pop feminist writing, but I couldn’t tell if she thought the solution lay in a more or less radical direction.

The Female of the Species is Cut & Run Productions’ sophomore effort, following last year’s The Dead Devils of Cockle Creek (also starring producer Michaela Faux), and it is clear that they are very much hitting their stride. Any nitpicks I had previously had have since been dissuaded - the whole show felt tight and well thought out, with no tonal whiplash and excellent blocking and choreography. I am now firmly on team Cut & Run. I’m really starting to get a feel for the sorts of work that they like to adapt, and eagerly await to see what they work on next.

It goes without saying at this point, but the tech team at PIP Theatre are to be commended - stunning lighting, great use of sound and light to mimic gunshots, and a solid sprinkling of (what I can only assume to be) balsa wood dropping from the ceiling left me very much immersed.

If I were to describe everybody’s performance, I would be wasting your time - I had at least a page of notes about everyone involved. The Female of the Species is wry comedy excellence, and everyone onstage is at the top of their game for the full runtime. I will, however, take a moment to speak about Francesca Savige & Michaela Faux (Margot & Molly respectively). I am frankly astonished that Savige is not a bigger name - her command of physical comedy was phenomenal, and several of her line deliveries left me laughing loud enough to draw some intense side-eye. Her choice to play Margot as a cynically funny and largely useless maternal figure brought a real Kitty Flanagan energy to the stage that was greatly appreciated. Faux, too, is doing great work as a would-be Valerie Solanas, holding her own against the litany of fierce comedic performers around her. Her sturdiness acts as a floodmarker for the absurdist actions of the supporting cast, chiming in to remind us just how bizarre this whole situation is. 

Smart, funny, political, and with a running gag about the soothing power of soup, I really urge anybody reading to check out The Female of the Species while they can. It's the type of show that I think Magandjin could use more of, and I hope that Cut & Run continues on the winning path they have set for themselves.

‘The Female of the Species’ played at PIP Theatre from 6-16 May 2026.

Images: Jamine Prasser