Gaslit, a coward and a thief: the drama of Eleanor Glanville, a victim of her love of butterflies | Section

‘There’s nothing wrong with having a tendency to do certain things, or what you might call hyperfocus,’ psychiatrist Dr Godrick tells Eleanor Glanville in a claustrophobic treatment room.

Outside of the Phoenix theater in Hampshire, the summer heat provides the perfect conditions for butterflies. Inside, a very dark story is being told in the airy darkness. Butterfly, a new play, highlights one woman’s passion for butterflies and how it changed her when she was caught in an abusive relationship.

The drama is based on the life of Eleanor Glanvilleone of Britain’s leading female naturalists and the only real person whose name is famous for the British butterfly, Glanville fritillarythe most rare species found in the late 1700s. Unfortunately, Eleanor endured a violent, money-grubbing second husband who confiscated her wealth and possessions after her will was annulled in court because the judge determined that she had “lacked reason” for roaming the countryside in search of elusive butterflies.

We can only hope that this kind of tyranny is a thing of the past, but the writer, artist and butterfly love it. Claire Jackson has cleverly adapted Eleanor’s story to the present day, translating 17th century male violence into the 21st century manosphere with ease.

Intelligent, complex, Eleanor’s love of finding rare butterflies – “something that makes my pulse quicken” – is an escape from her unhappy husband Richard. Eleanor reluctantly sees a psychiatrist (also a victim), as her lawyer suggests that her mental health will help her as she nears her divorce.

After a subtle presentation of the joys and dangers of hunting for rare butterflies, which takes its beauty and exposure, we see how Eleanor’s passion is changed as she is suffocated, ridiculed and humiliated by Richard, who is too bad to appear on stage.

Jackson was working on the play – dictated by Phoenix’s new writing software, which focuses on passive voice – when he saw the opera, Mrs. Whitechapelwhich is about Jack the Ripper but Jack doesn’t appear. “I thought it was brilliant – it made the story so compelling that I was inspired by it,” he says, citing Alan Bennett as his “God” in his horror interviews.

Like many people, Jackson loved butterflies as a child. He also joined them when he moved to the countryside and started traveling after suffering from depression and bipolar disorder. “Each walk was enhanced by the sight of butterflies – eventually, the movements revolved around the butterflies,” he says.

Although Butterfly Care can point to the 49% female membership, Jackson has experienced sexist or biased attitudes from male butterfly fans and thinks “there is work to be done” to combat discrimination in some butterfly communities. She didn’t feel unsafe in the woods, but she recognizes that intellectual fear remains a barrier for some women to enjoy looking for butterflies on their own. “It’s unusual to see women wandering around the forest alone, and that’s because, unfortunately, there are still safety issues.” There are some interesting things about men who go hiking who tell women that they can’t be afraid to say things like: ‘Oh, hello, I have a lovely husband!'”

In the four elements that correspond to the life of a butterfly – the egg, the caterpillar, the chrysalis and the butterfly – we see the tragic events of Eleanor’s life.

Sally McIlhone, who plays Eleanor, has high praise for Jackson’s voice, which clearly conveys the uncertainty of being burned. Someone says to you: ‘You are this thing.’ And you say: ‘But no, I am not that, because I am this.’ And they’re like: ‘No, no, no, this is who you are.’ And you’re like: ‘Am I?'” he says. And if you’re a caring and compassionate person, you can control it.

Jackson hopes that Eleanor’s presentation of different types of neurodiversity and suspicious behavior has an ambiguous meaning – but everyone in the audience will be happy that Eleanor will understand the reality and happiness of her choice, as the psychiatrist (played by Elizabeth Blake) also realizes late.

What would the real Eleanor do for her stage debut? “I’m sure he’ll be happy,” says Jackson. He is a good example for us about working hard and not listening to what other people say about you.

“It would have been nice if they looked over there and cheered us on,” added McIlhone. “Well, he may have lost the battle, but he won the battle. I think wealth as his wealth is of little importance to him. It is his legacy of the butterfly that is most important.