Here For Now Theatre Company is bringing the world premiere of Mark Weatherley’s (Framed, Lighthouse/HFN) new play Whack! to Stratford this October.

One of the UK’s most exciting young directors, Lucy Jane Atkinson (A HUNDRED WORDS FOR SNOW, Trafalgar Studios) will be tackling this new play based on the true story of Angelina Napolitano – a young Italian immigrant who murdered her abusive husband in 1911, igniting a public debate about domestic violence and the death penalty. She was the first woman in Canada to use the battered woman defense on a murder charge.

Managing Producer at HFN Fiona Mongillo (Framed, Lighthouse/HFN) will be playing Angelina Napolitano. She will be joined by Olivia Marshman (Eigengrau, HFN), and Siobhan O’Malley (Ali Baba, Globus Theatre), who will both be playing multiple characters in this kaleidoscopic reimagining of Angelina’s life.

Whack! will have set and lighting designed by John Leberg. Sound designer Dimitar Pentchevis also joining the team, with costumes by Monique Lund.

HFN is a non-Festival Indie theatre company located in Stratford that focuses on new or underproduced plays centering around complex, imperfect female protagonists. Whack! will be the company’s 4th production. Shows will run from October 24th to November 3rd at the Knox Church Amphitheatre space at 142 Ontario St. in Stratford.

Tickets are $25-$35, available from whack.simpletix.com.

Photo: Drawing of Angelina Napolitano. © 1911 Ottawa Citizen.