Wise Children
by Angela Carter, Emma Rice

Wise Children Book Cover
Wise Children Cover

What readers are saying

Readers appreciate the unique and theatrical storytelling of the play, filled with humor and poignant reflections on family life. Many highlight the engaging narrator and the blend of tragedy and comedy throughout the narrative. Overall, it is seen as an enjoyable and thought-provoking experience, despite some reservations about specific themes in the story.

Unique narrative styleEngaging and humorousRich character developmentThought-provoking themesSome find themes uncomfortable

Synopsis

In Brixton, Nora and Dora Chance – twin chorus girls born and bred south of the river – are celebrating their 75th birthday.

Over the river in Chelsea, their father and greatest actor of his generation Melchior Hazard turns 100 on the same day.

As does his twin brother Peregrine.

If, in fact, he's still alive.

And if, in truth, Melchior is their real father after all…

Wise Children is adapted for the stage from Angela Carter's last novel about a theatrical family living in South London.

It centres around twin chorus girls, Nora and Dora Chance, whose lives are brimming with mystery, illegitimacy and scandal.

Dora narrates the story as her older self, looking back on a tumultuous life, throughout which she and her sister have loved to sing and dance.

A big, bawdy tangle of theatrical joy and heartbreak, Wise Children is a celebration of show business, family, forgiveness and hope.

Expect show girls and Shakespeare, sex and scandal, music, mischief and mistaken identity – and butterflies by the thousand.

Videos

Wise Children at Old Vic | Emma Rice, Etta Murfitt and Ian Ross

Publication

PublisherOberon
Year2018
BindingPaperback
EditionReprint
Pages120
LanguageEnglish
ISBN-139781786826916
ISBN-101786826917

Wise Children is a British adaptation play written by Angela Carter and published by Oberon (2018).

Digital editions available on Amazon Kindle.

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Rating

4.3

9k ratings·15 reviews

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Reprint

Oberon · 2018 · 120 pp

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