The Duchess of Malfi
The Duchess of Malfi is a early 17th century play by John Webster, adapted here by Zinnie Harris and staring Jodie Whittaker, exploring the life of a widower in power refusing to shy from life but opposed by her cautious brothers. Part of me wanted to see this show because I am a Doctor Who fan and there seems to always be a Doctor somewhere on the West End, but I was also excited to see something praised at exploring female resistance to the patriarchy. Unfortunately I was not as receptive to the story as I expected, but Whittaker and the rest of the cast were undeniable either way.
What I liked
Whittaker's performance was incredible. She was poised and unpredictable and passionate in a way that was captivating throughout. Her connection to the character and cast around her felt very genuine and made me hang on every word.
The set was also a great aspect of the production. The all white set allowed for lighting to really create new areas of play as needed for the story, and the use of projections were very effective in the second act. There were some moments of song and music in the show, which felt especially ethereal with this combination of set and lighting; the hard boundary spotlight on this dusted white flooring as Whittaker sang in a bright red evening dress in the opening of the show created an air of power as ell as unease, a good foreshadowing for the show.
What wasn't my favourite
For a play advertised as an exploration of female resistance, I personally found the second act difficult to watch. Resistance in the face of typical patriarchal control is a fair way to discuss act 1: The Duchess defies her brothers in pursuit of love, she marries below her status for love, has children, all while keeping her rightfully owned property and money since the passing of her husband. Act 2 on the other hand was an inescapable depiction of a women be tortured and then murdered at the hands of men (her brothers and others), which feels less about “resistance” and more about brutality. I am not attempting to overlook the conclusion of the story for the men, who all face death despite their power-trips after some level of haunting from the women, but I do not feel that the story was appropriate in its cruelty. The men all die by gunshot, a sudden immediate death, while the duchess was slowly, and realistically, drowned in the bathtub, and another murdered woman was done so through suffocation as a man stuffed paper down her throat. Slow painful deaths that, sure, could signify women's rebellion but more ultimately were excessive in comparison to the men who get to die quickly. All of this, on top of a rape scene, did not and does not sit well with me.
Overall
The cast and creatives of this production were all amazing, however I fear that the second act has ultimately made me revoke my fan status from the show. I think another production of the show could change my mind, but I will venture to try to read the original before I jump at tickets. Ultimately I am very grateful to have seen a live performance from Whittaker, the definite star that she is.
