BY KAREN BOSSICK

It’s a curious name for a play. And the play itself is even more unusual, as plays go.

Scottish playwright David Harrower’s “Knives in Hens” will be the subject of a free play reading at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 30 at The Spot, 220 Lewis St. in Ketchum.

The reading is presented by Sawtooth Productions and Laughing Stock Theater.

The 75-minute play evolves around language, which has become the obsession of the central character identified as Young Woman.

Young Woman is the obedient wife of an older farmer called Pony Williams because of his love of horses.

Their needs are basic, including food and shelter. And that’s enough, at first.

But when her husband likens her to a field, Young Woman declares she is not like a field at all. And that starts her quest to try out new descriptions for everything around her.

When she meets a miller who owns books and—ohmigosh!—a pen, Young Woman, Pony and the miller become entangled in a struggle for knowledge, power and more.

The cast features Aly Wepplo, David Janeski and Chris Carwithen, all of whom have appeared in various productions with Company of Fools, including “Grey Gardens” and “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.” The reading is directed by Jon Kane.

Harrower is best known for his play “Blackbird.”