"Vinegar Tom": A Criticism

By Britt Haefeli

Due to the ample free time a national pandemic has given me, I have dived back into the realm of analyzing scripts. It is no secret to those in my personal life that theatre is a love of mine.

I’m sure I have many friends who have tired from hearing my daily rants about my love of Beckett. But if you are a new member of the theatre addiction club, I have a play that you should read as soon as possible.

Vinegar Tom, written in 1976 by Caryl Churchill is simply a work of art. The play discusses gender roles and the dynamics of female-male relationships through the scope of 17th century women during the witchcraft trials in England.

The deep and vivid metaphors created in this play showcase many of the issues women still face today. Whether it be judgment from society, or commentary on female to female judgement, this play analyzes it. The poetic and artistic style of this playwright allows these topics to shine. I had the privilege of seeing this play live a few years back, and ever since it has been stuck at the forefront of my mind. In doing a further deep dive into the script, I have developed a solid love for it.

The play is told through two styles of narration. One is following a young woman named Alice as she faces the false pretenses laid onto her. The other is told from an outside narrator, a singer who has the accompaniment of a band.

These narrators are dressed in modern clothing as they sing about the events being laid before the audience. Allowing you, the viewer, to take a moment to digest and understand the gravity of the actions being played out.

It creates a near out of body experience. It made me forget that I was sitting on my couch, in my living room. Instead, I was sitting next to these women, feeling there pain, imagining the terrifying reality they faced.

Then this singer joins, telling a fable of intrinsic history to learn. Before you know it, you’re back on your couch, just now realizing that you are crying, wishing for the words in front of you to be different. For their to be a different story, all the while knowing this one is too important to look away from.

I look forward to the day that I can see this play performed again on a stage.

art by clover pfaff