Review: IT'S TRUE, IT'S TRUE, IT'S TRUE at Marin Theatre

A sensational rape trial with high profile participants, the female accuser’s reputation besmirched, the alleged rapists’ pals piling on the dirt - a he said, she said scenario being played out in the male dominated courts. Is this Weinstein, Epstein, Cosby, Clinton, Thomas, or Trump? In Billy Barrett and Ellice Stevens’ gripping courtroom drama, the victim is Baroque painter Artemisia Gentileschi, and the time is 1612. Watching this 17-year-old woman get pummeled by the judge, her supposed guardian, the gossiped obsessed townspeople, and the defendant himself, I thought to myself “well this is the 17th century, what could a woman expect”. But the point here is that absolutely nothing has changed in 400 years. Sure, we have the MeToo movement, and a few serial abusers have seen justice, but its still an uphill battle for justice.

Marin Theatre has assembled an all-female cast for this US premiere which uses actual court transcripts modified with current language idioms, punk/goth costume design and songs, and gender fluidity. Emily Anderson as Artemisia and local Maggie Mason as her assailant Agostino shine throughout this production. Their face-to-face confrontations are sparked with her outrage and his hubris. The rape testimony, which she is forced to repeat, is tough material. Tortured as a lie detector technique, Artemisia remains true to her story.

There are two fantastic scenes where Artemisia explains the relevance of her famous paintings to her state of mind. Her iconic Judith Slaying Holofernes displays a “socially liberated woman who punishes masculine wrongdoing.” Similarly, a tableau based on her work Susanna and the Elders, relates the biblical story of a woman wrongly accused of adultery by lecherous elders who had abused her. Both scenes are wildly creative and put Artemisia’s convictions into light. Alicia M. P. Nelson (Judge / Judith) and Keiko Shimosato Carreiro (Tuzia) round out the cast. Kudos to Costume Designer Pamela Rodriguez-Montero for her punk safety pin and brooch adorned costumes.

A displayed banner states “The law is not equal for all,” a sad indictment of our social system. When Artemisia repeats the phrase “It is true” over and over, and over again, we can feel her pain. In the epilogue, Artemisia recalls her revenge came from her acceptance in the art world and painting for the House of Medici among other notables. The play closes with a punk cover of Patti Smith’s famous opening line from her cover of Van Morrison’s “Gloria” with the now famous incantation “Jesus died for somebody’s sins, but not mine.” It’s Artemisia’s call for her freedom, a bold statement for her or any woman.

 It’s True, It’s True, It’s True continues through May 4th. Tickets available at marintheatre.org or by calling 415-388-5208.

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