Live Evaluation - Yerma Flashcards
When did you watch Yerma?
On the 11th of April
What is Yerma?
A captivating and enthralling Young Vic Production filmed by National Theatre Live
What happens in Yerma?
In this engrossing play the inescapable character of “Her”, exceptionally played by the phenomenal Billie Piper, is driven to the unthinkable
Where is Yerma set?
Set in contemporary London, this radical and striking adaptation of Lorca’s classic tragedy accumulates with elemental force to a disturbing and staggering climax
Who brought Yerma to life?
Cunningly brought to life by ingenious director Simon Stone
What are some of the key elements used in this production?
This ground-breaking production uses naturalistic acting enclosed by an abstract set to rigorously bring the narrative of “Her” to life
How did you feel whilst watching Yerma?
In the course of observing this breath-taking performance I was filled with genuine shock and discomfort - I felt akin to a stranger eavesdropping on intimate moments or a scientist researching the habits of a strange species
A heated…
debate between “Helen” and “Her” in Scene 1.6 provides the audience with an insight into the shambolic life of “Her”
In this scene…
“Her”, Billie Piper, and Helen, played by the sensational Maureen Beattie, converse about pregnancy and having children
Billie Piper spouts…
“you never hugged me” in a critical tone with furrowed brows and a wavering pitch, leaning on a bent leg – clutching her elbows awkwardly
In blatant…
contrast Maureen Beattie sits casually a couple metres away from ‘her’ in upstage centre
This immense…
discrepancy between mother and daughter provides a foundation for the audience to understand the reasons for “Her’s” impending descent into a maddening fixation that eventually leads to her downfall
Piper and Beattie excellently…
showcased the coldness and lack of intimacy that pervaded “Her’s” childhood and demonstrated Stone’s aim of presenting a ”modern woman’s dissent into personal tragedy” since it reinforces her patriarchal internalisation
Piper and Beattie reveal
the social turmoil internalised by “Her”, which leaves the audience no doubt of “Her’s” gaping abyss earnest with a desire for unconditional motherly love – a love she hopes to provide for her own child
A scene in which Billie Piper excellently conveyed “Her’s” fragile…
mental state is when Victor reveals that he is leaving her for Hong Kong the following night
John Macmillan and Piper…
use their knowledge of spatial awareness and timing to exhibit the engulfing and devastating impact this had on “Her”, leaving her in an inconsolable state
Macmillan and Piper provide a…
convincing prequel to scene 6.2 and 6.3 where John also abandons “Her” in a cataclysmic confrontation
This interaction is replete with…
fragmented pauses and faced pace talking over one another, which juxtaposes with the stillness of their physicality
Piper is sat in…
upstage centre; legs tucked into her chest with a mug of tea in her hands, whilst Macmillan stands a few metres away
This reinforces the…
barrier that has now formed between “Her” and “Victor” due to her inability to have a child
“Her’s” envy was clear when…
Billie Piper burst out “I think you should go”, eyes filled with tears which she used the back of her trembling hand to wipe – her voice overwhelmed with emotion
Her is consumed by…
the overwhelming emotions of grief and misery in scene 6.2 and 6.3 of the play
This is due to John…
(her lone prospect for a child) abandoning “Her” in a tragic confrontation
Simon Stone aimed to exhibit…
“an almost scientific dissection of a woman’s dissent into personal tragedy” and Piper’s exemplary performance attests to Stone’s vision
Drowned in…
indignation and bitterness, Piper screeches, “you never wanted it did you?”
Piper conveys this line with…
her teeth bared in a menacing and rigorous manner, barefooted in a wide gait with her back arched and her neck craned towards John
Piper used a high…
pitch and belligerent tone along with wavering and undulating intonation (more so than her usual variations), with exasperated hand movements and a pained facial expression; her features crumpled with emotion
Piper raised her…
pitch on “did you” with a voice crack and contemptuous tone to insinuate the waves of previously hidden emotion that are now simultaneously beginning to surface
From where I stand, Piper…
astutely heightens the dramatic effectiveness in this moment with her physicality and vocality, displaying “Her” in an animalistic manner which attests to Stone’s vision of an almost scientific atmosphere
From the vantage point of a spectator, Piper’s…
devastatingly emotive and astounding performance allows us to see the impact of patriarchal internalization - the loss and grief Her is experiencing for a baby that never truly was
