a collection of soliloquies by Ophelia, Lady MacBeth, Regan, Portia, Desdemona, Kate, Isabella, Juliet, Marina, and Miranda — protesting the role given to them by Shakespeare
Lady MacBeth kill herself? Please. And Portia—you don’t think someone that intelligent would be pissed to be bait and trophy? And Juliet, well, Juliet just wants to have—sex.
Soliloquies: the lady doth indeed protest is a collection of soliloquies by Ophelia, Lady MacBeth, Regan, Portia, Desdemona, Kate, Isabella, Juliet, Marina, and Miranda—protesting the role given to them by Shakespeare.
Have you stopped along the way
To play at your stupid battle games?
Or have you changed your mind,
And decided not to come
Thinking me too 'easy' and thus insincere:
What perversion of thought is this?
Because I say what it is I want,
Direct and forthright,
You judge my desire false?
While the one who dallies,
Says no to mean yes,
You deem true and take her
Seriously?
Or perhaps you think to be 'easy' is to be unchaste:
If so, you misjudge
Yourself!
Because I want you (I want you)
Does in no way mean
I am a woman who wants every man.
Do you think of yourself so poorly?
Can you not accept that it is you who–
That one look of yours makes me wet
One touch sends a fire through every nerve
That it is you, standing there
In your tights so tight
And your shirt
Carelessly open,
Your chest–
Professional Reviews
Joanne Zipay, Judith Shakespeare Company, NYC
…not only dynamic, imaginative verse writing, but extremely intelligent and intuitive insight … I know many actresses who would love to get their hands on this material!
As a Shakespeare director, I’m thrilled by the perspective which Chris’ pieces provide of the plays and characters which they challenge – I believe these will be sought after by theatre companies which also do solid classical work, as new material for their audiences, embraced by a season of Shakespeare plays.
As a feminist, I’m excited by how these characters come alive and point up the perceptions and misperceptions that have shaped their literary and theatrical destinies.
As a dramaturg, I’m more than pleased to find modern playwrights who can write in heightened language and/or verse.
