The Skirt


by Ellen Bannerman

Age range: 16+
Cast size: 10 – 100

Warning: Contains strong language

‘The Skirt’ is an absurdist parable for the next generation of feminists. Based on Gogol’s short story: ‘The Nose.’  The play follows the journey of Kay Kovalyov, a schoolgirl with a big dream: to become head girl. We meet Kay on the day that could alter the rest of her high school life, head girl election day. However, Kay has made an error, one which could put a stop to her reign before it has even begun. She decides to wear a short skirt to school. Kay is sexually harassed while walking to her bus stop and as a result gives up her place in the race, to become head girl. Instead of a body part becoming personified like in “The Nose”, it is her skirt which becomes a separate entity and decides to run for head girl, in spite of her owner.

The play is a narrative piece with little dialogue, making it easily adaptable to any number of performers.

Can’t decide? Read an extract here…

About the Artist

Ellen trained as an actor at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. (BA, Acting.) She recently took part in the Traverse Young Writers group, which was led by Poet and Playwright Hannah Lavery. She is delighted to debut her first play as part of Positive Stories for Negative Times. Since leaving drama school Ellen has made her theatre debut in Rebus: Long Shadows by Rona Munro and Ian Rankin, and recently played the role of Sophie in Season two of Netflix’s: The Alienist.