Yerma
Playwright: Federico García Lorca
Director: Barry Nielsen
Genesian Theatre, Rozelle
24 October – 14 November 2026
Yerma is a compelling production that brings to life Barry Nielsen’s translation of Federico García Lorca’s classic tragedy, a haunting tale of longing and loss.
Yerma is a young woman married off to a cold and emotionless farmer and sheep herder who holds no love for her. Confined to their rural home with nothing to fill her days, she grows restless and increasingly despairing, yearning to hold a child of her own.
Year after year, her hopes go unanswered, and she is drawn down a winding path of turmoil, pushing against every restraint in her determination to receive what she sees as God’s gift, the one thing that might fill the gaping hole in her life. As the years pass, Yerma feels increasingly out of place and left behind by the women around her, convinced that she is failing at the only role her society has given her.
Norah Masige’s portrayal of Yerma is emotionally charged, capturing the genuine sorrow that women of that era endured when they could not have children. Her performance was especially compelling in Act II, as Yerma’s descent into madness unfolds. Masige convincingly conveys Yerma’s desperate struggle as her intense desire to bear a child becomes an obsession that consumes her.
Jenny Jacobs’s comedic timing was impeccable as a local woman with nine sons. The sarcastic, worldly edge she brings to the character is a striking contrast to Yerma’s anxious questioning when she comes seeking wisdom. Another standout was Monique Pueblos as Maria, Yerma’s close friend. Although she appeared only briefly on stage, she brought high energy to every scene she was in.
With too many talented actors to name, this is a production not to be missed.
