Lanie Robertson wrote the play in 1974. It was published by Samuel French (now Concord Theatricals). Unlike public domain texts (e.g., Shakespeare or Chekhov), this play is under active copyright. A legal PDF is . It must be purchased for production or perusal.
The play is set entirely in Mary’s cell at the Pennsylvania Hospital. She is alone. Or is she? Robertson’s genius lies in his use of theatrical magic: Mary’s mind begins to fracture, and she conjures the ghosts of her past. She speaks to her lawyer, her husband, the servant who testified against her, and even the young lover for whom she destroyed her life. the insanity of mary girard script pdf