The Enchantment (NHB Classic Plays)

Published alongside the National Theatre premiere of the mesmeric but little-known play by the woman who was reputedly a model for Miss Julie and Hedda Gabler.One sunny day in Paris, Gustave Alland, famous artist and philanderer, visits Louise Strandberg – convalescing in her brother's studio – and casts her effortlessly under his spell. In a vain attempt to escape, she exiles herself to her provincial hometown in Sweden. But a letter propels her back to Paris and into his arms. And for a brief moment, ecstasy is hers.'an extraordinary play… Clare Bayley's immaculate version is a major act of reclamation' –

Guardian'Many thanks to Clare Bayley, who has unearthed and translated this fascinating play… an astonishingly mature work… a cry for equality that still resonates today' –

The Times