OPENING the 2016-17 Cotswold Players Season at the Playhouse is The Female of the Species, a hugely comic play by Australian playwright, Joanna Murray-Smith, first performed in Melbourne 10 years ago. The play is a satire about celebrity feminists, with a plot loosely inspired by a real-life incident in 2000, when author Germaine Greer was held at gunpoint in her own home by a disturbed student.

Margot Mason is a feminist writer suffering from writer's block. Molly, a deranged former student of Margot's, arrives unexpectedly at her country home with a gun and handcuffs Margot to her desk. She blames Margot for warping her mother’s mind. Then, firstly, Tess, Margot’s daughter and then Bryan, her son-in-law, Frank a macho taxi-driver and finally Theo, her publisher, arrive to comment on Margot’s feminist failings. There are many wickedly funny moments in a play that presents reactionary amusement in abundance.

The Female of the Species is the directorial debut at the Playhouse for Hannah McDonald. Having studied Community Theatre in Newcastle-on-Tyne she joined the Players in 2010 after a long break from the stage and has acted in several plays since then. Hannah’s cast is a strong team of experienced actors, led by Jenny Nixon in the role of Margot and introducing Christina Heward-Mills as her daughter, Tess.

The play contains very strong language and sexual references.

The Female of the Species is performance at the Cotswold Playhouse from October 12 to 15, 7.30pm start. Tickets, priced at £13 (with concessions), are available online at cotswoldplayhouse.co.uk/tickets or by calling 0333 666 3366.