She Opened the Door: The Wife and Women Who Haunted Thomas Hardy

The book provides a different view of Hardy from the more conventional biographies, and the chance to read an actual working play script and understand how such a work is put together. Peter John Cooper presents a more understanding view of Emma, Hardy's first wife, imprisoned by society, circumstance and self-view within the high walls of the garden at Max Gate, the house that Thomas built for them both and which may have come to represent everything that was wrong with her life. The unhappy relationship between Emma and Jemima, Hardy's mother, is vividly portrayed, along with the dawning of feminism in the form of 'The Other Woman' and 'The Maid', who are both equally restrained by their situations. Hardy fans will enjoy spotting references and quotations from Hardy's own novels, poems and short stories, which Peter has cleverly interwoven into his writing.

Table of Contents:
Introduction. She Opened the Door Premiere Production. Dramatis personae and setting. Act 1. Act 2. Afterword - Writing She Opened the Door. The historical context - 1895. Bicycling. Hardy and women. What I learned about the characters. Emma. The Other Woman. The Mother. The Maid. Thomas Hardy himself. Thomas Hardy, the playwright. The songs. Fitting it all together Places to visit: Max Gate and Hardy's Cottage; Dorset County Museum; The Hardy Trail; Egdon Heath; The Dorset History Centre. About the Author. The Thomas Hardy Society

About the Author :
Peter John Cooper is an acclaimed playwright, poet and theatre director whose work has been seen throughout the UK during the past 40 years. Among his prolific output are two adaptations of Hardy novels which have been published online. Peter was born and brought up in rural Wessex. After living for 20 years in Swanage, he recently moved to the bright lights of Bournemouth. His association with Thomas Hardy goes back to school days.

Review :
'Fact and fiction interweave in Peter John Cooper's powerful study of the tensions that may have taken Thomas Hardy's first marriage close to breaking point. It was deservedly a huge success. Fine acting, superbly crafted dialogue, an excellent musical score from Roderick Skeaping and intelligent direction from Peter John Cooper himself make this a play to treasure.' Jeremy Miles, Bournemouth Echo 'Four women weave fact with fiction and mix real people with characters from Hardy's novels in a fascinating insight into the troubled relationship between the author and his first wife Emma ... a tale that blends beautifully some of Hardy's own words into the largely fictional story and includes a neat sub-plot in which the original script of the writer's final novel, Jude the Obscure, teeters on the brink of extinction as it is tossed around between all four women ... a play that is almost certain to become a theatrical treasure in the future.' Marion Cox, Dorset Echo 'This play is an exciting take on Hardy's women: the playwright has very cleverly interwoven the real and fictional women of Hardy's life and work.' Mike Nixon, Secretary of the Thomas Hardy Society 'By turning the spotlight on to Hardy's women Peter John Cooper opens the door to let us reflect on some of the key people in the great writer's life and imagination.' Dee Adcock, Blackmore Vale Magazine