Steller Quines Theatre Company

A funny, challenging and moving tale of teenage love, friendship and betrayal set at the dawn of the Scottish Enlightenment, The Fair Intellectual Club tells the true story of three Edinburgh girls who formed a secret club of the same name in 1717.

A group of unmarried girls aged 15 to 19, The Fair Intellectuals claimed education for themselves within a restrictively patriarchal society, choosing to cultivate their minds through the secret study of literature, science and philosophy instead of adorning their bodies. Despite swearing an oath to preserve the absolute secrecy of their organisation, they were betrayed by an enemy within who exposed her sisters to scandal, censure and ruin.

Written by comedian Lucy Porter, the production explores the feminist struggle for the right to education and takes inspiration from the original manuscripts of the club.

First performed to critical acclaim at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2014, this production reunites director Marilyn Imrie with the original cast of Caroline Deyga, Jessica Hardwick and Samar MacLaren.