Project #6 Option 1

SHSU UTC'S PRODUCTION OF THE SECRET GARDEN

The Secret Garden is a musical that has beautiful music and despite its dark tone in the beginning, ends in being an overall “feel-good” musical. The musical is about love, perseverance and memories. While I was unable to physically watch the production due to my own responsibilities within the show, I had the opportunity to read the script during each rehearsal and performance as the actors were saying the lines and singing the music. I felt that while I was unable to see what was happening on stage, I was able to experience the show. While my experience was different than a person who was able to watch the show, I still feel that I can review the show.

The music in this musical is different than what most people may expect to hear in a musical, as it has more of a classic sound and is not quite as bouncy as one would expect. With that said, the music is among the most beautiful music I have ever heard in a play.

This musical allowed me to drop in my feminist lens for criticism, as I felt that the script gives a great deal of power within the women’s roles. Some women are clearly more powerful than others, but nonetheless there is power within the women roles.

The character Mary is a ten year-old girl who has been displaced by the epidemic of cholera in India. The outbreak caused the death of both of her parents so she is sent to England to live with her Uncle Archibald. Mary’s curious, stubborn and somewhat demanding demeanor manages to get Mary the things she wants, which is what gives her a great source of power. Mary arrives at Misselthwaite, the home of her Uncle Archibald and is greeted by the housekeeper, Mrs. Medlock, at the train station. Mrs. Medlock tells her that her Aunt Lily had died years ago and that her Uncle Archibald is rarely home and will not be giving Mary a warm welcome. Mrs. Medlock gives Mary several limits to what she is able to do while staying at Misselthwaite, but Mary chooses to explore and do things her way. The scene in Act II when Mary performs a chant to heal her crippled cousin, Colin shows her strength again. When the charm works a few scenes later, it is a reminder to the audience the power that Mary has within her.

Mrs. Medlock, an overall ‘evil’ antagonist in the script does carry her own source of power in the beginning. As she brings Mary home, the audience feels that Mrs. Medlock’s hand is over the house, controlling every move that happens within Misselthwaite, which is true. She is in control over the house, orchestrating everything that happens. However, as the play progresses and Mary is growing in strength and power, we see Mrs. Medlock’s power and control diminish.

Even the supportive character, Martha, who is Mary’s maid-turned-friend stands as a small power-house as well. Martha is the one who sends Mary outside to get fresh air, which leads Mary to finding the garden. Martha’s brother is Dickon, and Dickon helps Mary in getting the garden to come to life. Martha also convinces Mary to write the letter to Uncle Archibald to ask him to return from Paris to Misselthwaite. Though Martha is a smaller character in comparison to other characters, she is written as a character of strength and power, which contributes to giving women the upper-hand in this musical.

The final strong female role in this musical is Lily, the deceased aunt of Mary, who was not only Lily’s twin, but the mother of Colin and the wife of Uncle Archibald. Though dead, Lily’s spirit is ever-present in Misselthewaite. Uncle Archibald is always on-the-go because when at Misselthwaite, she is the only thing he can think of, as she is always in his dreams. Throughout the play, the audience often sees Lily standing in the background, watching over Colin or Archibald. Though her spoken dialogue in the play is limited, she appears often in songs, singing to Colin or Archibald. This is an example of how powerful she is, despite the fact that she is dead. She continues to watch over Colin and Archibald.

The Secret Garden is definitely a musical that portrays women to be strong and powerful instead of meek and mild. The casting done by Ms. Maureen McIntyre for this musical may have contributed to my opinions of the strength of women, as the females she chose to cast in this musical were not only perfect for the roles, but all are individually strong women. I feel that Ms. McIntyre also may have been directing it with the overall theme that women are powerful and strong. Regardless of the set, costumes, lights, sound and directing, the script itself should speak loudly to a person viewing this play from the feminist perspective.