Yerma

Synopsis

Yerma is a humble peasant woman, who longs for a child. In her village all her friends are raising families, but she remains childless. She tries to be light-hearted and believes that she and her husband will soon be blessed with a baby. As long as her condition, or lack of it, is temporary, she endures it and seeks to remedy it! Gradually Yerma's deep love for her husband turns to disbelief and then hate as she discovers he does not want a child. However, her own pride and honour forbid her to take pleasure or revenge with another man. Overcome with desire and frustration Yerma is driven to the ultimate crime of passion....

Our Review:

28 January 2003

Translating Federico Garcia Lorca's tale of a woman's quest for a child is no easy task. Although the themes of sexuality, marriage and motherhood are universal- the imagery and dialogue could easily appear stilted and uncomfortable on stage if translated literally. The splendid performances in addition to Pam Gems’ sumptuous adaptation make the themes clear and the audience comfortable with the difficult subject matter and language. The production is well worth seeing and deserves high praise indeed.

As the curtain opens, Simon Higlett's set gives the audience a feel of the vast landscape in which Yerma resides. This acts as a metaphor as she describes herself as ‘barren.’ The audience really feels the character’s pain, emptiness and sense of longing. Jason Taylor's high contrast lighting literally puts the troubled woman under the spotlight in full view of her helpless friends who all have what she wants: children.

Longing is soon replaced by obsession as ...

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