Conjuring Up Shakespeare’s Women
In writer-director-choreographer Kate Mueth’s The She-Wolves, Sycorax, the unseen sorceress whom Prospero overthrew when he landed on her island, conjures up some of the women who—like her—got short shrift from Shakespeare. So she resurrects eight of them, only to make them compete to succeed her as a new sorceress, to be crowned She-Wolf Queen.
Sycorax (Meuth herself, unseen) casts them into a pageant “like Miss Universe,” she admits, with an ostensible talent category. She requires them to declaim their famous speeches, and have the winner chosen by the audience (the “folk on the hill”) based on the strength of their applause. In their gorgeous, mute dance moves we can see that the women are not any happier being manipulated by Sycorax, than they supposedly were by Shakespeare.
An M.C. (Josh Gladstone in voice-over) introduces the contestants:
Rina Dutta as “Lady M” (remember: it’s bad luck to say “Macbeth” in a theater) gives “unsex me here” plenty of oomph.
Mariama Condé evokes Juliet as wonderously childlike at 13, doing “Come, Night” with bubble gum and hula hoops.
Unexpectedly, Anita Parrott as Kate (the “shrew”) delivers the last-act speech that urges wives to submit to their husbands, even though it’s acknowledged that Petruccio “gaslighted” her into submission. (Ava Jones will portray Kate from January 23 to February 1.)
The M.C., parodying pageantry, describes Ophelia (Annika Hegelson) as “110 pounds soaking wet.” Her mad scene (“Here’s rue for remembrance”) is full of passion and strewn floral bouquets.
The “Dark Lady” (Shira Kagan-Shafman) is called forth. But she, to whom the last Sonnets were supposedly written, was never given a name; so she is disqualified from the pageant “on a technicality.”
Mary Garrett Turner, holding sword and scepter, and sitting on Hegelson as if on a throne, is a ferocious Queen Margaret of Anjou, ready—nay, eager—to behead her enemies in the four Wars-of-the-Roses plays. Tellingly, she declares, “You can not speak unless you wear the crown.”
Lavinia (Colleen Edwards) is probably the least familiar character. She’s daughter to Titus Andronicus, the mute victim of rapists who cut out her tongue and cut off her hands. Her movements have to convey the pathos, and they do.
Last in line is Vanessa Walters as Portia. In men’s drag as an attorney, she delivers the “Quality of mercy” speech, and more, clearly and powerfully. (Note to text consultant Emma Tattenbaum-Fine and Shakespeare consultant David Kastan: The play’s titular “merchant” is Antonio—not Shylock.)
The actors are costumed by Yuka Silvera in old-fashioned corsets; and the lighting by Kia Rogers makes strong and moody use of darkness. Projections were designed by Violet Spann. Combat in Margaret of Anjou’s scene was fight-choreographed by Dan Renkin.
After the winner is declared (it was Ophelia, at the performance I saw), the others return to the earth, as if reversing the movements through which they emerged. And yet the new sorceress-in-chief makes clear by her body-language that she did not seek and does not want the honor.
This is a clever take on the Bard’s oeuvres; and the more Shakespeare you know, the more you will take away.
Photos by Owen Benfield
The She-Wolves is produced by the MultiStages, Neo-Political Cowgirls, and Eden Theater Company. It runs through February 1 at the Theater at the 14th St. Y (344 E. 14). Tickets are available here.
