JOANNA Murray-Smith introduces a new take on feminism in this comedy, The Female of the Species.

It is based on an incident in which a student kidnapped Germaine Greer in her own home.

That kidnapper didn’t have a gun. This one does. She is Molly (Sophie Dunne), the victim’s student, who uses it to enable her to handcuff her former lecturer to a desk.

In this case, the victim is renowned feminist Margot Mason who has written things which Molly blames for affecting her life.

Margot, to put it mildly, is full of herself. Although she is loud and vulgar, there is something likeable about her, too. All aspects of her personality are put over well by Margaret Leslie.

She is still basking in the glory of her first successful book, The Cerebral Vagina and is working hard on her second.

As Molly confronts her, Margot’s daughter, Tess (Kathyrn Worthington) arrives. She is driven to distraction by her three young children and her position in life that of a married mother, is diametrically opposed to feminism.

These three women all have tales to tell and rather than get involved in the pros and cons of women’s liberation I would advise people to relax and enjoy the plentiful humour.

The resultant happy ending is largely due to the men. There is Paul Wilson as Bryan, Tess’s husband, Ethan Martin as Frank. a macho taxi driver and Bill Platt as Theo, Margot’s gay publisher.

The set is one of the best I have seen at the Lauriston with the furniture centred around a desk and computer.

* The Female of the Species was at the Lauriston Studio Theatre.