Winchester News Online
Yerma: A tragic exploration of the female experience
How far would you go to save a child? Or the desire of having a child?
Federico García Lorca’s Yerma deals with this moral tragedy as the titular character falls down a rabbit hole of not being able to conceive with her husband, originally published in 1934 and adapted by the National Theatre in 2017 it delivers a contemporary take on the narrative in a world dominated not so much by the nuclear family and religion but rather class and earthly desires imagining Yerma as a journalist in the modern era.
The play utilises Greek theatre stylisations such as a chorus that breaks the narrative apart into vignettes broken apart by title cards, and Brecht’s epic theatre utilising a clean stage with minimal props allowing the stage in a quasi thrust staging (with the audience on the north and south of the stage).
The lighting utilises harsh shadows and the empty staging allows for the stage to become the mental headspace for the characters, such as when the fluffy pure white carpet is replaced by darkened grass and finally by trodden down dirt as rain envelops the stage as Yerma sinks to her lowest point.
The deeply difficult role of Yerma is played by Billie Piper (of Doctor Who fame) and delivers a masterful performance truly capturing Yerma’s tragedy as a woman weighed down by religion as she calls to attention in the west that mother Mary is the ambition proposed for all women to be pure even in pregnancy that the immaculate conception is what’s to be expected “that’s what happened wasn’t it? I don’t even know what a c*ck is and yet I’m pregnant”.
Society as she faces the ever increasing pressure to have a child, her sister has one and a miscarriage which Yerma writes about in her online blog in an act of sadistic lashing out at all women who can conceive, her ex-partner has one and she had an abortion with him and yet she cannot conceive with her husband.
Yerma is also scarred with the troubles of her relationship with her family. We do not see her father at any point in the piece and her mother is a cold figure who even in her old age is still consumed by her work being visibly uncomfortable to hug Yerma in a scene where she asks why her mother never held her.
And finally her own biology as she screams at her husband: “I can’t, my body won’t allow me”.
And when it all collapses she yells :“You didn’t believe in it, you never wanted a child with me.”
As the play reaches a fever pitch, the surrealist imagery intensifies actors resemble themselves and represent different people, Piper meets in a drug fuelled festival sex-fest as she confronts her past demons and the reality that she cannot have a child, which brings to attention arguably the most revolutionary part of Lorca’s play, that the central tragedy of this play is a woman in a situation that a man (the very much dominant part of the audience and arguably still to this day) cannot understand.
Much like Yerma’s husband, men are pulling at emotions, hormones and experiences that they cannot understand as they have not and will not experience them.
Yerma falls further and further into a depression for a baby that isn’t real or likely to ever come (a pre-natal depression) and when pushed to its extreme the nuclear family setup collapses under the pressure of biological differences.
It is not too far to propose that Greek theatre stylisations are a deliberate choice to remind the contemporary audience that although Yerma is now a tragic hero post-feminist movement where women’s issues and voices are finally beginning to be centralised in the discussion of women themselves it is highly likely that in the 30s Yerma would have been seen as a traditional Greek tragedy woman; overexaggerated, crazy and ungrounded (much like Medea who is viewed as the crazy one in traditional interpretations of the narrative in that play).
And as Piper lays down broken, divorced, alone, no job, no home, no friends she makes a last-ditch effort to find the peace she has been desiring.
Stabbing herself in the chest. Small murmurs of “I’m coming to join you now I suppose…. My son…. My daughter” in a change to the original narrative where she strangles her husband evokes a much more visceral and tragic ending to Yerma’s story.
I left Yerma sitting in my chair for nearing on half an hour with my heart weighing heavy for Yerma in the concept that another performance of this play means that she must go through this again, as ‘au pays du cocaine’ by geese and ‘sienna’ by the Marias played to keep me in the headspace I was in I reflected on my experience as a man in a world that is catered to my every need and built for my succeeding to truly grasp a piece of the female experience and the pressure that I will never understand or comprehend, which leads figures like Medea, Yerma and all the women in the crucible to have been viewed as villains rather than realistic depictions of women pushed to their brinks breaking the theatrical norm which only allows men that grace.
Myself with Deborah Turness and other students after the lecture. Photograph: Kate Ironside
Last Tuesday, I made a whistle-stop trip to London for the Sir David Nicholas Memorial Lecture, a prestigious event attended by working and retired people in the journalism industry.
The guest speaker was Deborah Turness who used to be the BBC News boss. I want to tell you about my experience.
It started when I caught the 4pm train down to London. I loved seeing the iconic skyline come slowly into view (The Shard, The Gherkin, The London Eye) and the jungle of buildings looming above my train.
Dashing through the underground, a friendly staff member told me I should change trains on the Bakerloo line to arrive at Great Portland Street.
I had expected a direct train from Waterloo. Anyway, my expedition under the capital was successful.
When I walked to the lecture centre (five minutes), there were at least two people on the street who may have been homeless.
Surely, this shows the close divide between the wealthy and poor in London; the worlds they inhabit are so different yet so near each other.
Arriving at the building, I was greeted nicely before someone hung up my coat and bag.
Attendees were offered a glass of wine however I stuck with water (do not tell anyone but I am a teetotaller).
Our supervisor Kate encouraged us students to chinwag and network with the professionals.
I talked to a few people which was fantastic because these interactions do not come naturally to me.
Challenge from social media
Mary Nightingale (ITV News presenter) introduced Turness, saying that she could give “robust” debriefs as a leader but was very kind and always defended her team.
The lecture asked what established media could do about the rise of independent ‘Creator’ voices.
For example, the consumption of TV news has decreased by “4 million…people… in the past five years”.
In contrast, the amount of people consuming news on TikTok has increased “10-fold.”
This new market centres around “commentary and conversation” while missing “frontline reporting” or “undercover investigations.”
Consumers should not be losing out on these two features. Turness’ message was that broadcasters should switch their focus to catering for this direct journalism.
Journalism must change
To achieve this, four keys were laid out.
The first one was gaining back trust such as showing how a news operation works behind the scenes or proving to the viewer that your facts are true.
The second was authenticity – Turness said that bosses should let their journalists “off the leash” a bit. They should have the creative freedom to be themselves on camera or microphone, producing relatable, real content on “YouTube, Spotify” or “Substack.”
Key number three was “reinventing the newsroom.” Turness said they should channel energy to create “content in the formats and on the platforms that consumers want”: from live streams to short videos, in-depth articles to “conversational podcasts.”
The final key was putting a stronger stake into opinion and debate. Turness said this should not be the “preserve” of online places that regularly stoke “polarisation.” Traditional media should put up a “marketplace” of ideas that are “thoughtfully curated” and “provocative.”
In my opinion, I agree with these essential aspects. The established broadcasters should be reforming – mixing the traditional with the new – especially in combatting far- right echo chambers and populism in our politics.
I also hope that journalists will have lots of support to put themselves forward more online; I do not believe it is easy for everyone to be the real, authentic individual.
After the speech, Nightingale conducted an interview and Q + A with Turness.
I must say, this was an exciting surprise. Challenging questions were asked. Mary Nightingale had put on her ITV hat and it was excellent to witness.
When she opened to the floor, some audience members also had reservations about these proposed reforms.
I was privileged to ask a question about practicalities – what could a new-style, informal ‘News at Ten’ bulletin look like? It was amazing to see such high-profile people as Nightingale and Turness listening to my question with all seriousness.
During the post-talk socialising, I received two pieces of advice from both retired and working professionals.
The first one was to get the hang of the “bread and butter” of journalism first (the basic rules and techniques) then be ready to branch out using new methods of broadcast.
The second was to persistently knock on the doors of employers and write to lots of people to boost my job chances. I am glad I remembered to write these down – I am determined to apply them.
After leaving the hall, a lovely postscript occurred as the other students invited me to chat with them at the pub.
Before I arrived at the Tube in Oxford Circus, I could not resist diverting to get a selfie at BBC Broadcasting House.
This was very familiar to me from television. Finally, it was off through the multicoloured lights of Westminster towards home, accompanied by a lovely bunch of budding journalists.
All four of us were satisfied about the evening we had experienced.
Exterior of BBC Broadcasting House. Photograph: Matthew Hays
Colden Common leapfrog into second as they produced a ruthless display
to thrash managerless Blackfield & Langley 10-0, piling further misery
on the Watersiders who arrived with only a starting XI and no
substitutes available.
The hosts needed just four minutes to open the scoring. Joao Ferreira
found Cal Archer outside the box, and the midfielder rifled a low
strike into the bottom corner beyond Ollie Bull.
Colden Common continued to dominate, with Charlie Hitchings and Sam
Woodward both threatening as Blackfield struggled to contain the early
pressure.
The second goal soon followed when Brad Lethbridge’s delivery found
defender Sam Middleton at the back post, where he finished sharply
from close range.
The Watersiders briefly threatened on the counter-attack when captain
Bradley Snelling raced through on goal, but James Egeland-Jensen stood
tall to deny him
The Stallions quickly punished that missed chance. Cam Stone’s cross
from the left found Ferreira inside the area, and his effort squeezed
through Bull’s legs to make it 3-0.
Woodward was then denied by an excellent leg save from Bull, while
Middleton saw a volley blocked after Ollie Riddell flicked on
Lethbridge’s corner.
Ferreira added a fourth despite strong appeals for offside from the
visitors, before Middleton missed the chance for another when he
headed wide at the back-post.
The fifth came through Woodward, who converted from close range.
Moments later, Stone won possession high up the pitch following a
loose pass from Josh Moody, allowing Ferreira to race clear and fire
home his hat-trick.
Archer then grabbed his second goal before half-time with a near-post
finish to complete a devastating opening 45 minutes and send Colden
Common into the break 7-0 ahead.
The hosts resumed in the same manner after the restart and added an
eighth goal within three minutes when Woodward’s effort took a
deflection on its way past Bull.
Archer thought he had completed his hat-trick, but the effort was
ruled out for handball. Woodward also had a strike disallowed for
offside, while former Watersider Hitchings saw another finish chalked
off after Middleton’s low drive ricocheted into his path.
Woodward continued to search for more goals but could not convert an
acrobatic attempt inside the area.
Blackfield did carve out a rare chance, as Cam Ross’s headed clearance
fell kindly for Charlie Luff outside the box, but his volley arrowed
wide of the post.
The ninth eventually arrived when Ben Sunley picked out Lethbridge,
who made no mistake from close range for his 19th league goal of the
season.
Colden Common were then forced to play the final ten minutes with ten
men after Sunley was injured with all five substitutions already used.
Even so, they still found time for a tenth. Owen Sims struck the post,
Alex Vine’s header was saved, but shortly afterwards he found the
target from close-range to complete the scoring.
Colden Common are back on the road as they take on Totton & Eling on
Thursday night at Miller Park, whilst Blackfield & Langley will face
The Millers two days earlier at Gang Warily Recreation Centre on
Tuesday night.
The Stallions stormed into a four-goal lead in a ruthless first-half display in a 4-2 win over local rivals Alresford Town
The hosts thought they had struck inside the opening minute when Cam Stone managed to lob keeper Ben Barnard, only for the offside flag to cut short the celebrations.
They did not have to wait long. Just nine minutes in, Cal Archer threaded a pass into the path of Sam Woodward, who slid a low finish beyond Barnard to hand the Colden Common an early lead.
It should have been two soon after. Will Erdinc’s clever cut-back found Brad Lethbridge lurking, but the former Portsmouth midfielder could only guide his effort wide. Woodward then stung the palms of Barnard with a half-volley, while Owen Sims was foundinto acres of space on the right, only to see his dink drift off target.
Alresford briefly threatened Former Stallion Josh Bowerman capitalised on a loose back pass from Archer, racing through one-on-one, but James Egeland-Jensen stood tall to block and preserve the lead.
Colden Common punished the visitors as they struck twice in quick succession to take control. Joao Ferreira managed to curl home a composed finish after being picked out by Lethbridge, before rounding Barnard moments later to slot in his second.
Sims nearly added a fourth before the break, his low corner falling to Stone on the edge of the box, but the midfielder dragged his effort wide.
Alresford thought they had a route back when skipper Tom Henderson finished off a swift counter-attack, only for the flag to once again but this time to deny them. Moments later, Colden Common were awarded a controversial penalty for handball, and Lethbridge stepped up to convert from the spot, sending Steve King’s side into the break with a 4-0 lead.
It was one-way traffic after the restart. Sims continued to find space on the right and picked out Woodward, but the forward could not keep his effort on target. Lethbridge then saw a golden opportunity smothered by Barnard as the Stallions pushed for more.
An unmarked Henderson managed to head home Jack Welch’s delivery and pull one back for the Magpies. .
There was still time for more late drama. Matty Driver rattled the crossbar on his return, while a hopeful long ball forward from Barnard caused panic in the Colden Common defence. Henderson’s initial effort was blocked on the line by Sam Middleton, but Bowerman reacted quickest to force the ball home against his former club.
Next up for Colden Common is the visit of mangerless Blackfield and Langley, whilst Alresford host Frimley Green.
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