On The Verge

In 1888, three experienced, nineteenth-century American lady adventurers, armed with umbrellas, a picnic and pith helmets, set out to explore 'Terra Incognito', eagerly embracing cultures and replicas of distant civilizations(such as an eggbeater which they deduce must be 'a marsupial’s unicycle').Caught in a time warp, they find them selves in Eisenhower’s 1950s America where they sample rock ’n’ roll and discover artefacts which include 'I like Ike' badges and yet more eggbeaters! The trio split when two decide to remain in 1955: Alexandra becomes an expert rock ’n’ roller and Fanny falls in love with a cocktail-bar owner. It is left to Mary to continue the journey of exploration, but not before she has shed her Victorian garb for a pair of trousers!Eric Overmyer’s witty, surreal play has played to acclaim through out America and was seen at the Lilian Bayliss Theatre, London, in 1989, starring Paola Dionisotti, Juliet Stevenson, Gerda Stevenson and George Irving, anddirected by Anna Furse.