CU Players Brings Dark Comedy 'The Moors' to Life

Bizarre gothic tale of desire and power becomes an electrifying, laugh-out-loud experience

Apr. 1, 2026 at 9:05pm

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Columbia University Players presented a production of 'The Moors', a dark comedy directed by Molly Greenwold, at the Glicker-Milstein Theatre on March 27th and 28th. The play, originally written by Jen Silverman, is set in a gothic old house in the English moors and follows the bizarre and unsettling household of two sisters, Agatha and Huldey, and their new governess, Emilie, as they grapple with themes of desire, intimacy, classism, and domestic violence.

Why it matters

The Moors transforms the dark atmosphere of power dynamics and distorted desires into something satirical, whimsical, and genuinely, uncontrollably funny. The production's immersive blackbox format and the audience's engaged laughter throughout the performance became an integral part of the experience, creating a rare, electrifying freshness in live theatre.

The details

The story follows Agatha and Huldey, the two sisters who live in the gothic household, as they welcome a new governess, Emilie, who soon finds the household extremely bizarre and intimidating. The parallel storyline involves the mastiff's growing obsession with the moor-hen. Each character is consumed by their own desires and needs, leading to a web of power dynamics and domestic violence that is handled with sharp humor and energy by the six-person cast.

  • The Moors was presented on March 27th and 28th, 2026.
  • The play was originally written by Jen Silverman and published in 2017.

The players

Molly Greenwold

The director of the CU Players production of 'The Moors'.

Jen Silverman

The American playwright who originally wrote 'The Moors', published in 2017.

Jasmine Richards

The actress who played the role of Agatha in the CU Players production.

Anusha Krishnan

The actress who played the role of Huldey in the CU Players production.

Dunia Sarkis

The actress who played the role of Emilie, the new governess, in the CU Players production.

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What they’re saying

“The Moors engages with 'conversations about desire, intimacy, classism, and domestic violence,' and every character is consumed by want.”

— Molly Greenwold, Director

The takeaway

The CU Players' production of 'The Moors' demonstrates the power of dark comedy to transform disturbing themes into an electrifying, laugh-out-loud theatrical experience that immerses the audience and becomes a collective, shared reaction. The play's innovative staging and the cast's energetic performances created a rare, fresh live theatre experience.