Challenge to prejudices in a NZ play

“Most of the play’s based on love, loving who you want to love,” Jessica Alder who plays the role of Violet in Repertory Theatre’s September production of

Eugenia told me.

“Violet is a hopeless romantic who, although strong in some respects, is weak when it comes to men. She doesn’t realise Eugenia’s biological sex at first but is prepared to compromise in order to be with her, so in many respects she is a victim.”

Jessica believes the marriage between Eugenia and Violet is a love match. Such “marriages” weren’t unknown in early 20th century New Zealand but the marriage of Amy Bock and Agnes Ottaway in 1909 is viewed as an attempt to gain money by false pretences.

Australian-born Amy Bock had quite a history receiving stolen goods and otherwise fraudulently obtaining money. Posing as a wealthy Canterbury farmer on holiday, “Percy Redwood,” Amy wooed and married the hotel landlady’s daughter, Agnes Ottaway, on April 21, 1909. Poor Agnes had remained ignorant of Percy’s true gender until Amy was arrested three days after the wedding.

It appears that Amy Bock was a very persuasive and plausible character. While serving a sentence for fraud at the Caversham Industrial School in Dunedin, Amy had so impressed the governor with her manners and social skills that he offered her a position as a teacher when she’d served her sentence. This didn’t eventuate as she was found to be planning her escape using bogus letters from a nonexistent aunt.

It was believed at the time that the marriage to Agnes was a ploy to borrow money as a stable married man, whereas the marriage between Violet and Eugenia was indeed a love match.

In many respects Eugenia is two plays set in two different time periods and I suspect the two time periods will reflect two very different attitudes. I doubt that the 1916 era will be as tolerant or as willing to attempt understanding as the 2016 period will be…still, there are some fairly conservative people out there.

The 2016 attitude is that everyone has the right to be happy and free to love whom they choose.

“Everyone wants to be treated with respect and to live their life without feeling ashamed or guilty,” Jessica said.

This play challenges ideas and values. How broad minded are we? Is compassion greater than prejudice? This play will make you think.