Oranges & Ink

Aphra Behn and Nell Gwyn were good friends. One of them the first professional female writer and the other an actress turned royal courtesan, they helped each other find success, despite humble beginnings.

Oranges and Ink takes place at a time when fake news about a ‘Popish Plot’ to kill the King is being used to stir up anti-Catholic feelings. When the public seem more interested in the theatre of politics than in the actual playhouses, how is Aphra to continue making a living from her plays? And what will happen to Nell if the King dies? Can she go back to the stage?

Set in the vibrant and frequently debauched world of Restoration theatre, the play follows the trials and tribulations of two female libertines in an age of intolerance and social upheaval.