The title of this blog refers to the fact that this is the FIRST post here for yours truly, Julia Giolzetti. I have been with the Tempest Ladies for almost 2 years (!!!!) so this post is well overdue.
Aaanyway, we are now well under way with Macbeth rehearsals, and even have preliminary blocking down for a few scenes. This is insanely exciting, especially for me, since I was brought in after all this work had been done for the Tempest. The collaborative efforts I am experiencing are invigorating and my spirit is lifted after every meeting with these gals.
I must also mention that we have a director this time around! Lindsay Tanner, who is a dear friend of Stacey and I from Tisch, is joining our madcap ensemble as an outside eye, Shakespeare text detective, and all-around ringleader. Our first day with her consisted of hours of witchy role-playing in dim candlelight. Last Sunday, we reviewed how to walk like a man, talk like a man, walk like a man my s-o-o-o-n. Sorry, I'm listening to Frankie Valli as I write this. Anyways, we puffed out our chests, broadened our shoulders, balled our fists, and flattened our steps. We noticed how, even though we don't consider ourselves to be girlie girls, our hips have a natural sway to them. But when inhabiting a male character, it's all about taking up as much space as your body permits. That means your steps are wider and, by default, your hips stay facing straight ahead.
I've been trying out my dude moves in public, particularly on the subway. If you're a female who has taken public transit, you're probably familiar with the phenomen that is men using their legs/thighs to take as much space as possible. With my new dude moves, I'm able to claim my own space in the way men do. It's a far more comfortable ride after you push a man's legs out of your space with your own legs.
But back to Macbeth. It's very important for us to be as accurate as possible with our male characters--once the audience stops noticing we're actually women, they can focus more on the story. Some would ask, why then wouldn't we just cast men? Well, for one, our company is the Tempest Ladies, but the main reason is if this play was done with all the right genders, only 3 or 4 women would have a speaking role in a cast of 20. Same goes for the Tempest, where the female roles come to a whopping ONE. Same goes for Hamlet (2), Romeo and Juliet (4, 1 of whom is Lady Montague which....come on), Julius Caesar (2), and even Antony & Cleopatra (2!) And let's not even start on the History plays (looking at you Henry IV, BOTH PARTS). Being a Shakespearean actress is not an easy venture outside of this company. In fact, most of the shows I've done outside the Tempest Ladies have ended up being male roles anyway (Boy in Henry V, Pisanio in Cymbeliene, Snug in Midsummer). Plus, the theater community is already over saturated with talented attractive 20 something women, so even getting seen for a female Shakespeare role is like finding an empty cab during a downpour--unlikely.
On top of all that, given the opportunity, what woman wouldn't want to take a crack at Mackers? Lady M is of course one of the best roles the Bard ever wrote for women, but her husband is equally complex, compelling, and completely bonkers by the end. Don't assume that because we are performing an all-female Macbeth that this will be all about girl power and Lady M...quite the opposite. While we are putting a lot of emphasis in these early rehearsals on the witches' storytelling/framing aspects, our discussions always come back to the man himself. You will see each of us take him on, both in scenes and in soliloquy. We aim to offer a truly unique production of this show, where you physically see Macbeth's mind contort, transform, and internally struggle with his murders. By the frantic final showdown, you will see 5 Macbeths full of impotent rage, ready to take on a castle of rebels.
I'm afraid I've already revealed too much. Thank you for reading this far, and stay tuned for more Mackers updates!
Love,
TTL
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