Learning Guide: Fen

Four women sit in fields and bag onions; the two women in the center are looking at one another, and the woman on the left is pointing at the woman on the right. — Morgan Lavenstein, Genevieve VenJohnson, Elizabeth Laidlaw, and Lizzie Bourne by Michael Brosilow.

Check out these resources for academics, enthusiasts, educators to support your learning and viewing of Fen. We’re thrilled to offer them as a complement to our Student Matinee program, and we hope they enrich your experience of this production.

Background

Synopsis and Characters: Read a brief synopsis of Fen, meet the play’s characters, and learn about the casting that makes this production distinct.
Historical Background, Dramaturgy, and Design: Take a look at these texts and resources to explore the history behind Fen, its dramaturgy, and the design of Court Theatre’s production.

Activities

Discussion and Story-Land Activity: Consider how repurposing land—for good or for ill—reverberates through its inhabitants, community, and the land itself.
Student Vocabulary Activity: Implement this classroom vocabulary activity around the word juxtapose.
Pre-Show Journaling Activity: Reflect on themes from Fen through journaling prompts—suited for classrooms and continuous learners alike!
Post-Show Juxtaposition Activity: Use this classroom activity to unpack examples of juxtaposition in life, media, and Fen to more deeply understand the power of contrast.

Articles

In Conversation with Vanessa Stalling: Get a glimpse inside Director Vanessa Stalling‘s hopes, goals, and inspirations for Caryl Churchill’s Fen.
“A Dark Beauty”: Director Vanessa Stalling illuminates the force of Caryl Churchill’s Fen and how the competing worlds, desires, and constraints create an enriching theatrical experience.
You Don’t Own Me: Exploring the feelings, dreams, and desires of each character, this playlist offers a fun and engaging way to familiarize yourself with the themes of Caryl Churchill’s Fen.