Written by Siofra Dromgoole and directed by Michael Sexton, Women of Will — which is based on Tina Packer’s book of the same name — is an hour-long ode to Shakespeare’s female characters.
The majority of the play takes place in a pub. The library gallery at Summerhall is transformed aptly — the audience sit at tables and are invited to order drinks from the bar. The two actors roam around the large space, involving the audience in their world and not allowing the relatively simple story to be swamped or upstaged by the room’s size.
It is a pleasure to watch Ella Loudon and Nigel Gore’s performances so close-up. Loudon plays Ava, a ‘bartender/actress’ who is auditioning — once again — for drama school. Gore is Jack, an ex-alcoholic older actor who feels his success and his best days are all behind him. Jack is dressed more like a retired rockstar than an actor, in bootcut jeans, cowboy boots and a t-shirt reading “I miss cocaine.” During his initial meeting with Ava, he takes note of her well-thumbed copy of Shakespeare’s complete works. He asserts — to Ava’s disagreement — that Shakespeare wrote good, even brilliant, parts for women.
What ensues is a series of weekly meetings between the pair, who make their way through Shakespeare’s canon. Together they act out monologues or scenes where his best writing of women is on display, under the pretext of Jack helping Ava prepare for her drama school audition. There is nothing creepy about Jack’s interest in Ava, and he is a good mentor, not condescending or preachy. Rather, they discuss Shakespeare on equal footing — disagreeing over the meaning or tone of particular scenes, or on whether or not a character feels like a real person. Scene changeovers are soundtracked by female rock icons Patti Smith and Siouxsie and the Banshees (Ava’s playlist perhaps?).
The scenes where Jack and Ava perform Shakespeare’s verse are mesmerising. Loudon and Gore do the balcony scene from Romeo and Juliet beautifully; Ava looks transfixed watching Jack/Gore play Romeo, and so was I. Loudon is haunting as Lady Macbeth, and the pair’s performance of Desdemona’s murder in Othello is genuinely upsetting to watch. Jack encourages Ava to remember that Shakespeare’s characters are ‘relatable humans,’ and this comes across especially.
Women of Will is ultimately a story of connection. Ava’s father has died and Jack feels disconnected from his meddling adult children, so their relationship becomes a surrogate for these failed family ones. Both on the fringes of the acting world at this point, it is touching to watch them bond over a shared love of their craft. This show is a must-see for actors or fans of Shakespeare, and still worth your while if you are neither.
Women of Will is running until 31 August at The Library Gallery at Summerhall. Buy tickets here.
Image by James Frank, provided to The Student for press use.
