The Woman Question: A Play on Women's Health and History
The Woman's Medical College of Philadelphia, founded in 1850, was a groundbreaking institution that trained women to become doctors, accepting students from diverse backgrounds, including race, class, and country of origin. This historical context serves as the backdrop for the play "The Woman Question," currently premiering at the People's Light Theatre in Malvern, Pennsylvania.
The play focuses on the lives of the students, with a particular emphasis on those who faced significant challenges to attend the college. Suli Holum, the playwright, chooses to highlight the experiences of students from various backgrounds, such as a formerly enslaved woman from South Carolina, an Indigenous woman from the Omaha Tribe of Nebraska, and students from India, Japan, Russia, and Syria.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the play is the exploration of the relationships between these students. Holum imagines conversations and interactions between students from different cultural and historical backgrounds, such as the Omaha tribe member and the first Japanese woman to receive a Western medical degree. This imaginative approach allows the audience to consider the potential exchange of knowledge and perspectives among these students.
The play also delves into the curriculum of the Woman's Medical College, which included medical jurisprudence, particularly abortion. Dr. Anna Elizabeth Broomall, a celebrated obstetrics instructor, taught a medical jurisprudence class and staged a mock trial to educate students on navigating legal challenges related to pregnancy. This historical context is eerily relevant to contemporary issues of women's health, as seen in the recent controversy over the abortion drug mifepristone and the Comstock Act.
Holum's interpretation of the play is a cross between Louisa May Alcott's novel "Little Women" and the television medical drama "The Pitt." She emphasizes the joy and expressiveness of the students in a high-pressure environment, incorporating elements of costume parties, charades, singing, and poetry. This approach adds a layer of humanity and emotion to the historical narrative.
"The Woman Question" runs until May 24 at People's Light Theatre in Malvern, Pennsylvania. It offers a unique perspective on women's health and history, blending historical facts with imaginative storytelling. The play serves as a reminder of the ongoing struggles and achievements of women in medicine and society, inviting audiences to reflect on the past and present challenges faced by women in the medical field.
