It's True, It's True, It's True

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25 January 2020 · Follow on Stagedoor

“If you haven’t caught Breach’s show yet, then you should make a date with it. This will probably be your last chance. Based on original court transcripts detailing what happened when the Renaissance painter Artemisia Gentileschi accused the powerful Agostini Tassi of rape. I first saw it in Edinburgh in 2018 but it remains no less theatrically bold and politically and social pertinent as it looks to the past to examine rape, consent and the way the legal system remains stacked against women who accuse men of rape. Just think what happened to the British teenager in Ayia Napa. In the case of Gentileschi at least there was a form of belated justice. Her paintings can be seen in major galleries around the world while Tassi, once such a lauded painter in his time is largely forgotten.”

Overview

When Agostino Tassi, the pope’s favourite artist, was accused of raping the 15-year-old gifted painter Artemisia Gentileschi, the ensuing seven-month case was widely publicised. It’s True, It’s True, It’s True interweaves jaw-dropping court transcripts with history, myth, contemporary insight and moments of satire to ask: how much has really changed? Filled with ire and using modern language, the devised show shines a spotlight on a remarkable woman who went on to triumph through her art.

With three female actors interchanging roles on a set that at times suggests a courtroom, at others an artist’s studio, the story is driven by a soundtrack that contrasts punk and baroque music. Including reenactments of Gentileschi’s celebrated biblical paintings, Breach’s visceral play has won Scotsman Fringe First and Stage Edinburgh Awards.

Age Recommendation: 14+
(nudity, some strong language, some violence and sexual violence)