Irish Classical Theatre Company, under the artistic direction of Keelie A. Sheridan, will open its 2025–2026 season with Liz Duffy Adams’ Or, running September 12–28, co-directed by Sheridan and Jorge Luna. This sharp, witty, and whirlwind neo-Restoration comedy dives into the life of Aphra Behn—poet, spy, and trailblazing playwright—on one transformative night where art, politics, and passion collide.
Aphra Behn (1640–1689) lived an extraordinary life as one of the first women in England to earn her living as a professional playwright. Before breaking barriers in the theatre, she worked as an international spy, survived debtors’ prison, and turned her adventurous experiences into art that redefined Restoration drama. In Or, Adams imagines Behn on the brink of her breakthrough: juggling new love, old flames, and dangerous secrets while racing to complete her first play.
When asked what drew her to the piece, Sheridan reflected on her own recent discovery of Behn.
“I was only peripherally aware of Aphra Behn until recently. I’ve been a big fan of Hedgepig Theatre’s Expand the Canon work in recent years, shining a new light on overlooked female playwrights throughout history. Behn’s play, The Lucky Chance, was on their 2022 list, and her name has been ringing in my ears ever since. When I came across this script, I was blown away by the pieces of her story I didn’t know—her work as an international spy for King Charles II, her experiences in Surinam and the impact those would have on her writing, especially through themes of race, gender and colonialism.”
Sheridan is particularly interested in how Or, builds on ICTC’s mission to re-present and introduce the stories of the past for contemporary audiences. “Texts like Or, fit so naturally into what ICTC does well, which is to look at periods or people from the past and bring them, living and breathing, into the room with our audiences. I think of this piece in conversation with last season’s The Fitzgeralds of St. Paul and Dorian, which gave us intimate interpretations of the personal lives of well-known artists, highlighting their humanity alongside their art. As the first professional female playwright in England, Aphra Behn altered the course of history, and it’s an honor to tell a slice of her story. I’m very interested in exploring how contemporary writers engage with the past, and how adaptations and semi-historical texts give us the chance to piece together the worlds from which our most treasured classics emerged.”
While the play is rooted in Restoration history, Sheridan notes that audiences can expect plenty of surprises. “Liz Duffy Adams’ use of language in this piece is positively delightful. Audiences will recognize the cadences and flourishes of Restoration English writing while enjoying the bridge the playwright builds to contemporary sensibilities. I think the audience might also be surprised by some of the cultural and societal mores that still frame our relationship to power, art and love.”
For Sheridan, Or, is not only a celebration of Behn’s groundbreaking life but also a timely reflection on resilience and renewal. “Or,’s pacing is quick and its tone lighthearted and witty, but the English Civil Wars and their atrocities have left their mark on these characters. The balance of optimism and realism is woven so neatly into this piece that it gives us permission both to acknowledge hardship and dare to hope for better times. I hope Or, inspires the audience to accept the feeling of flux, uncertainty and fear many of us recognize now, knowing that nothing lasts forever, and even the longest nights end in dawn.”
Or, part of Buffalo’s Curtain Up celebrations runs from September 12-28, 2025. Tickets are available here.