Maybe it’s just me, but I think we should treat women better.
Coming straight from the Northern Hemisphere is In The Green, a musical directed by Alexandra McKellar, with musical direction from Gayle Hammersley. It follows the story of Hildegard von Bingen and her years of being locked in a cell with her mentor, Jutta. Every child’s nightmare.
If only that was the worst these poor characters had to endure.
In the cell, Hildegard is told to do the impossible: pull herself together. Instead, she is torn into three, and things go downhill from there.
Playing the three sides of this poor girl are Meg Tisdall (Hand), Lucy France (Eye), and Grace Voice (Mouth). These three are perfectly matched to each other, harmonising incredibly well and constantly checking in with each other as they do, sometimes even without the luxury of music in the background. I loved the way they made eye contact at crucial points and how they were able to immediately match energies and sing in unison. They looked like they were genuinely enjoying themselves on-stage, and making the most of each other’s company.
The same can’t be said of Caitlyn McDougall, who plays Jutta with such a raw emotional sadness that made me feel horrified at what she’d gone through. Every movement McDougall makes is loaded with purpose, a methodical performance that captivates at every turn. Her presence is ominous, but her demeanor evokes a sorrow that constantly wrenches at your heart.
Rounding out the actresses is Cassandra Tse as Shadow, a character whose low-key manner is deceptive and enthralling. There are so many moments where it looks like she’s about to burst into the scene, but instead remains almost hidden by the musicians, crunched up and ever-terrified of the unfolding events. When she’s allowed to sweep the stage, Tse absolutely clears, nailing her songs before slinking back to her corner. It’s wild how much stage presence she has with so little front-positioning.
The music in this show is almost oppressive. At times, it’s the wild, rhythmic chanting from Tse, or a pre-recorded track. Other times, it’s the band comprising Nicholas Appleton, Bennie Sneyd-Utting and Helen Halt, conducted by pianist and conductor Jessica Watson. Due to the lack of microphones on the actresses, it’s often difficult to hear the lyrics, or even who’s leading the song. But when they all sing together, it’s magic.
When their voices break through the music, it is clear, it is loud, it is empowering. It’s at these points that the show really nails its messaging: that there are ways to break through any sort of obstacle, and to represent that musically is just fantastic. It’s a shame that these moments aren’t as frequent as one would like, particularly against the wave of despair that the show carries by default.
At its core, In The Green is a terrifying show. The fact that this really happened plunges you into despair, and even with pockets of hope, it’s a lot to handle in a 90-minute sitting with no room to breathe. It’s not a show for the faint of heart, but it is one that can rock you to your core if you allow it to. As evidence, I present the woman sitting next to me who couldn’t stop sobbing throughout. It’s rare to have a show that seems intent on emotionally devastating you to this degree. It holds up a mirror to the world and shows us that there are still parts of society that aren’t meaningfully different from 1136, and we still have a way to go in unearthing equality.
We have no choice but to keep digging.
Disclosure: As a somewhat active member of the Wellington performing arts community, I may be quite familiar with a number of the performers in this show. Having said that, I am not a liar, and there is zero bias in my reviews, shut up.