“Reader, I think you know who is most quotable” was the enticing line with which Sarah Gordon’s ‘Underdog: The Other Other Brontë’, was advertised, a play that explores the dynamics and struggles of the three most famous sisters in English literature. On 18th April, I went to the Dorfman Theatre, a smaller, rectangular auditorium just behind the National Theatre, to watch Gordon’s script performed by a cast of eight in this intimate space. The play won the 2020 Nick Darke Award, and rightfully so, because its outrageously comedic writing and poignant messages made the audience of 450 laugh and contemplate deeply for the whole two hours and fifteen minutes.

“Underdog” promotes itself as ' a story about the power of words…about sisters and sisterhood, love and jealousy, support and competition ’, but I was most strongly affected by its portrayal of the jarring misogyny of the 19th century. The script accentuates how a patriarchal society can make women enemies of women, dividing rather than uniting them in competition to beat the rigged system and come out on top. The audience is often less than sympathetic towards Charlotte, the oldest (and arguably most well-remembered) of the sisters, who deceives and represses Anne and Emily to further her success, rather than lift them up.

Despite serious undertones, the play maintains a light and comedic tone, with witty lines that are sure to leave any audience in stitches. The scene that sticks in my mind is one where Anne moves away from home to become a governess and is confronted by a very entitled aristocratic male actor in a deeply unflattering orange dress, portraying the mistress of the household. I remember having a significant struggle breathing in between my bursts of laughter for about five minutes afterwards.

What stood out particularly to me was the incredible set. The play begins with what appears to be a swampy meadow as the central focus, which is later lifted to expose a rotating stage, creating a ceiling of drooping foliage and giving the whole performance an intimate if not eerie feel. The economical use of actors and props, and brilliantly designed costumes make the whole play a delight for the eyes, and thus I do not doubt that ‘Underdog: The Other Other Brontë’ will satisfy anyone looking for an original, comedic take on the lives of the Brontë sisters.