Mary and The Matrons

It’s the start of the Swinging Sixties, JFK wants to get a man on the moon and dauntless Dr Mary Sheridan is on a nationwide inspection tour of “Mental Deficiency Hospitals”, the places most children with learning disabilities still lived out their childhoods. By the time Mary finishes travelling the country, she’ll have set the wheels turning for radical reform of disability provision in this country.

It’s also the start of the Tricksy Twenty-Twenties. Space-mad Millie Moore, who is graduating from special school, needs to find the right placement to follow her star. Millie’s mum, Lou, a wannabe rock star, comes across Dr Mary’s inspection reports, and starts to imagine a “concept album” of Mary’s mission 60 years ago. The more Lou reads about Mary kicking butt with prejudiced matrons – and the medical establishment as a whole – the more Lou finds the strength to support Millie into the next stage of her life and, ultimately, let her go. 

The work in progress sharings of Mary & the Matrons (Oct’ 23) was supported by Stage One, HiJinx Theatre, Exeter Northcott Theatre and Arts Council England.