In a quiet New England town, devoted teachers Karen Wright and Martha Dobie have poured their dreams – and savings – into transforming an old farmhouse into a thriving girls’ boarding school.

With the eccentric support of Martha’s aunt, Lily Mortar, they nurture a close-knit community of young students. But trouble brews in the form of Mary Tilford, a cunning and rebellious pupil whose penchant for mischief often disrupts the harmony. When Mary fabricates a scandalous rumour about Karen and Martha to escape her grandmother’s expectations, the lie spreads like wildfire through the community. Parents withdraw their daughters overnight, reputations shatter, and the women’s hard-won world unravels amid whispers and accusations. As loyalties fracture and prejudices ignite, Karen and Martha must confront the devastating ripple effects of unchecked gossip in a society quick to judge.

Inspired by a notorious 1810 Edinburgh scandal, Lillian Hellman’s groundbreaking 1934 drama unflinchingly probes the fragility of truth, the poison of rumour, and the shadows of intolerance.

A timeless tale of resilience and reckoning that still resonates today.