It’s True, It’s True, It’s True

New Diorama Theatre

‘Timely’ and ‘relevant’, seem a cheap way to a describe a piece of theatre that explores an endless timeline of rape, the slander of women and a world where a man’s reputation is valued over and above any truth-telling, justice-seeking woman. It may sound familiar to us now, what with the Kavanaughs and the Weinsteins - but how many of us can name the women who spoke out against them? It is a story that has, devastatingly, been familiar to us for thousands of years and yet we still cannot find it in our patriarchal hearts and minds, to possibly believe a woman. 

Being a lover of documentary, and of theatre, I have found tonight a piece that marries the two. 

‘Women are always on trial’ said qz.com (and every person with eyes and ears ever) on 27 of Sept. To all of you who want to - and you should want to - hear the remarkable 1612 (almost-verbatim) testimony of a (very) young woman and artist, Artemisia Gentileschi, then seek out the New Diorama before 10th Nov!!!!

This dramatisation of Agostino Tassi’s trial is a nod of thanks and with respect to all those women, the Artemisia Gentileschis, the Dr Christine Fords and the Ashley Judds - who time and time again, century after century, tell us ‘it’s true, it’s true, it’s true’.