Little Women

Synopsis

Little Women is a novel written by Louisa May Alcott and although the characters are fictional, many of the attributes of the four sisters are echoed in her own upbringing.

In this abridged play adaptation, we see the critical moments in the novel, captured and dramatized. The story is set in America during the Civil War of the 1860s when the North and South were fighting over many issues, not the least of which was the abolishment of slavery.

Mr March is a chaplain in the army for the North and he is away for a good part of our story, which is why we see into the lives of these women: Mrs March, Hannah their house maid and the four sisters so closely.

This play looks at the ordinary lives of these women in a time when women were not allowed into universities, nor did they work outside of their household. Each of the girl’s highest ambition, except for Jo, is to marry and have a family of their own. As the daughters grow and change with the world that surrounds them, we see them embrace their difficulties. We see the sisters eventually thrive and find love. Their strongest bonds are to family and the love they share. This is a timeless story, which reflects aspirations we may very well share.