The Defamation looks at women who have passed away that end up in a female-only afterlife, a purgatory of sorts, where they must face trial by a jury of ‘Dukes’. If they are found not guilty, then they make the glorious trip to Heaven. If not, they are faced with the eternal damnation of Hell. However, it seems that the Dukes have taken a liking to not making a decision, finding reasons to delay verdicts or trials, meaning that this afterlife is getting a tad overfilled with Eve still waiting judgement day.
We are introduced to five Shakespearean women, who make fill their time there by reading their own plays, playing chess, and singing and dancing to folk songs. It isn’t expressly discussed what these women are on trial for, but the indication is that they’ve all been there for quite some time. We’re also introduced to a sixth female, Charity, who is a fictional modern day celebrity loosely based on Amber Heard.
While we had a character sheet provided to us that had very basic character descriptions, those who are perhaps not well-versed in Shakespeare may struggle to connect to these women. With no individual background or stories expressly spoken about, other than the odd reference, it’s hard to build a connection or have that want of justice for them. Because of this, most of the characters felt wooden, other than Lady Macbeth who did a wonderful job of drawing the audience in, again perhaps in part to being possibly the most well-known female of the bunch. Her performance was by far the best, bringing both the wit and charm that many would recognise as being wholly Lady Macbeth, you almost wish she had a greater part in the play, possibly fully taking on the unofficial role of narrator.
Another character we are introduced to is their keeper Gilmore. But other than remarks about the fact he is male, we don’t really explore him or his relationship with the women either. We assume there is some sort of friendship with Hermione, as she pleads with him to use his tongue to help them, though it isn’t really explored or expanded upon. With his character being used as some light comic relief, and to perhaps give a ‘male’ presence to focus our supposed anger upon, it begs the question whether he needs to be there.
The language used in this play is in the style of Shakespeare, and sometimes, such as Christy’s speech to the Dukes, it’s evocative and wonderfully put together. Unfortunately, it more often can be hard to follow and makes the conversations between the women drag. Also, the decision to have Christy, a supposed modern day celebrity, speak in the same way as Lady Macbeth for instance was confusing. Perhaps having her speak and use phrases for modern-day language would have created a move powerful contrast between the two time periods being depicted here. It could have been an opportunity to show how despite the many many years that have passed since the Shakespearean women arrived in this purgatory, nothing much has changed, and women are still treated in the same regard.
Overall, this is absolutely a play with potential. The theme of women supporting women that is shown throughout is refreshing to see, though perhaps could do with some concrete fleshing out. Writing a whole play with Shakespearean style and rhyme is no easy feat, and it should be acknowledged, though there is the question on whether it was needed for everyone. While at present this feels more like a work in progress, it might be that some confrontation and emotion could add the depth and excitement to make this feel like a well-rounded piece.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3*)
Gifted tickets in return for an honest review | photography by Lottie Neal
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