Holly Flynn, The Magdalen
Pat Zajac brilliantly shines light on the silenced woman of the past, as she becomes a Voice for the voiceless
Pat Zajac’s solo show ‘Whispers’ took the Dundee Fringe stage on Sunday night and transported the Keiller Centre audience back to a 19th Century Victorian London, a time full of murders, plagues, and rigid societal expectations along with patriarchal powers that silenced woman.
Zajac’s show highlights the dehumanizing treatment of 19th century women by focusing on the life of Mrs PM Jones, a woman who is stuck in a controlling marriage. The continuous expected domestic roles, submission to her husband, and lack of legal rights prove to be too much for Jones, as she murders her husband to simply be free of the oppression she faces from him and the society around her.
Instead of receiving professional help, the act of murder lands Mrs P.M Jones in a mental asylum, which is the scene audiences are welcomed with as they take their seats. The sounds of a Victorian London echoed around the room through a speaker, with the clattering of horses and carriages along with conversations blasting out around Mrs P.M Jones. The character sat on the Dundee Fringe stage in a long white dress hyperventilating as she rocked back and forth. It was a very eery start to the show, yet I was immediately intrigued!
Pat Zajac’s acting was extraordinary throughout the show, as she delivered a raw and haunting portrayal of a woman whose life is forever ruined, as Mrs P.M Jones is ripped from her children and forced to be alone with her own thoughts in a place that deems her as mad and refuses to understand her. Her ranging emotions reflected the hardships Mrs P.M Jones goes through by simply being a woman, and it did not feel like I was sitting in the Keiller Centre as her talents had me captivated.
The emotional authenticity Zajac presented made me feel deeply sorry for Mrs P.M Jones and think of all the woman that have most definitely went through the same issues in the past, as her performance offered a very real reminder of the gender inequality that existed back then, which is also a struggle in present times.
Zajac’s passion for acting is clear as she put everything she had into the show, letting Mrs P.M Jones consume her. This left me wishing the show went on for longer, as I was fully sucked into the world of Victorian London and felt like I was within the four walls of the mental asylum alongside Jones.
If you are a fan of gothic horror and love theatre shows that make you think, this is one you must see. Pat Zajac brilliantly shines light on the silenced woman of the past, as she becomes a voice for the voiceless. ‘Whispers’ is a beautifully memorable show, and I am honoured that I got to see it at the Dundee Fringe!