There’s much debate about Shakespeare’s depiction of women. Whether you believe he was a feminist, misogynist, neither, or simply don’t care, the math certainly tells us women were less important than men in Shakespeare’s plays.
Rosalind in “As You Like It” is Shakespeare’s female character with the most lines. In front of her are fourteen male characters.
In Shakespeare’s “Macbeth”, Lady Macbeth speaks 1901 words. Macbeth has 5303 to tell his side of things.
Though Lady Macbeth is infamous, in the original play, she isn’t even given a name, referred to as only Lady or Queen. (Historically, her name was Gruoch.)
In “UNDONE”, we attempt to pass the mic. Here servants have names, witches have backstories, and one of the most vilified women of “the canon” is given a chance to tell her side of things. Here, we ask you to see her as something more than a historical figure or a villainous Shakespearean icon.
No one is all good or all bad. We’re all complex, all flawed. We’re all messy, all contradictory, and all full of potential.
At the heart of “UNDONE” is the idea that stories matter, that whose story is told matters, and that who tells the stories matters.
We’d love to hear YOUR side of things, too. Please do reach out to Local Theater Company with your thoughts!
Your friends,
Mare Trevathan and Hadley Kamminga-Peck
