Heresy of Love, Shakespeare's Globe *****

I always love a last performance at the Globe. At the end of a run, Dominic Dromgoole stands on stage and gives us a chance to appreciate everyone involved in the time we spend their. From the stewards to the hair and makeup,  it all contributes to our experience of theatre and Globe especially should be praised for their high standards and welcoming and inclusive attitude. No production is worthy of praise more than John Dove's sensitive and heart-breaking production of Helen Edmunsdon's Heresy of Love. It tells the story of Sister Juana and her fight for knowledge within the strict Catholic church. The feminist message hits home yet it isn't heavy or clunky as a result. With a similar look to Blue Stockings, Michael Taylor and John Dove create a world of inequality where women are used and exploited within the Catholic church. Saying that, it doesn't attack religion, with a wonderfully uplifting debunking of the Archbishop's sermon that embraces religion and even the odd transubstantiation bits of the Catholic faith aren't dismissed as absurd. Naomi Frederick is a beautiful Juana who is understated yet strong and wonderfully independent. The rest of the cast are unrecognisable from their underwhelming As You Like It, with wonderfully developed secondary characters that you can empathise with being performed with a striking mix of comedy and heart. The tragedy creeps under your skin in the second half, leaving me sobbing as Juana is teared apart. To be honest, this is one of the best things I have seen at the Globe and I am so glad that I was able to catch this poignant and profound production.