'She Speaks! What Shakespeare's Women Might Have Said' is a creative and quirky book from Olivier-Award winning actress Harriet Walter in response to the voices of Shakespeare's female characters being cut off and drowned out by men.
In her introduction, Walter recalls reminiscing and considering in rehearsals what Shakespeare's women should say but do not. Each section of the book is dedicated to a character that Walter has played in her career (alongside some others). In response to their absent voices during specific moments of the plays in which they appear, Walter writes a short piece imagining what these female characters should have said. For example, Walter's monologue for Gertrude comes as Hamlet challenges his mother about her relationship with Claudius. By giving Gertrude a response to Hamlet's accusations, Walter creates a thought-provoking spin on not only the character but also the play as a whole. Perhaps it is not Gertrude who is guilty but Hamlet's father? These creative responses are predominantly monologues, written in modern language and iambic pentameter. Therefore, they are a comprehensible, witty, and thought-provoking blend of contemporary and traditional Shakespeare. It is such a creative way to make you think about these plays and characters differently.
Before each monologue, Walter sets up the character, the play, and her own portrayal, so context is provided for characters you may not know. Walter also discusses her motives for choosing particular characters. She reimagines sonnets by Shakespeare's own wife, Anne Hathaway; conversations between Shakespeare's motherless daughters; and a duologue between Hermione (The Winter's Tale) and Imogen (Cymbeline).
There are lovely illustrations throughout the book. The language is concise and engaging, which means that you will fly through this book - it's an excellent choice if you're trying to reach your 2026 Goodreads challenge! I also really liked the introduction in which Walter highlights from the outset the important historical context that Shakespeare's female characters would have been played by boys and men. I found Walter's line 'What (the boy actors) couldn't do was speak from the experience of being a girl or a woman' particularly thought-provoking. This context really heightens the necessity of Walter's book.
Overall, this is an engaging, insightful and enjoyable book which mixes creative writing, history, and the memoirs of an incredible actress. I've never read such a unique response to issues that stem from Shakespeare's writing.
Reviewed by Cole (Visitor Operations Assistant)
