Promotional consideration provided by Cineplex.
Written in 1934, García Lorca's Yerma was a shocking, tragic and darkly ironic play that follows a childless woman, Yerma, who lives in rural Spain. Her desperation to have a child eventually evolves into obsession, and she winds up murdering her husband.
While the characters' motivations are all open for debate, there's no question that Yerma is a play that analyzes the unfair social pressures placed on women throughout history. It was timely then and it's certainly timely now.
Fortunately, Cineplex is set to stream a live performance of the play from London's National Theatre on August 11. For set times, go here.
Until then, we've laid out five films that have similar themes to the play. That way, you should be more than ready to dig into the work when you check it out at a Cineplex location near you.
Raising Arizona (1987)
This early Coen brothers classic takes a more comedic look at infertility. Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter play a childless couple whose desperation for parenthood drives them to insane measures as they steal one of another family's recently born quintuplets. Hilarity, obviously, ensues.
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992)
It's not all laughs and japes in the world of childless women, however — the psycho childnapper thriller is a genre for a reason. That desperation for motherhood takes on dangerously terrifying form in The Hand That Rocks the Cradle. Curtis Hanson's twisted 1992 thriller sees Rebecca De Mornay star as Mrs. Mott, a nanny who ends up kidnapping the baby she was hired to care for.
Malice (1993)
Another entry into the baby thriller micro-genre, this film directed by Harold Becker and written by Aaron Sorkin follows a couple — Nicole Kidman and Bill Pullman — who are having issues conceiving a child. They eventually visit a nefarious baby doctor — future Boss Baby Alec Baldwin — who complicates things further.
Maybe Baby (2000)
Another comedy about a couple going to great measures to try to conceive a child, Maybe Baby was written and directed by Ben Elton, whose Black Adder collaborator Rowan Atkinson (aka Mr. Bean) also appears. That said, the real star of the film is Hugh Laurie. Watch it if you'd prefer laughs over murder.
Children of Men (2006)
Instead of laughs or jump scares, Children of Men takes the theme of infertility to extreme, dystopian depths. In 2027, all women have become infertile and as a result society is falling apart. When Clive Owen discovers a miraculously pregnant woman, he must protect her long enough for her to give birth. It's a complex thriller steeped in metaphor — and it's also one hell of an action movie.
Written in 1934, García Lorca's Yerma was a shocking, tragic and darkly ironic play that follows a childless woman, Yerma, who lives in rural Spain. Her desperation to have a child eventually evolves into obsession, and she winds up murdering her husband.
While the characters' motivations are all open for debate, there's no question that Yerma is a play that analyzes the unfair social pressures placed on women throughout history. It was timely then and it's certainly timely now.
Fortunately, Cineplex is set to stream a live performance of the play from London's National Theatre on August 11. For set times, go here.
Until then, we've laid out five films that have similar themes to the play. That way, you should be more than ready to dig into the work when you check it out at a Cineplex location near you.
Raising Arizona (1987)
This early Coen brothers classic takes a more comedic look at infertility. Nicolas Cage and Holly Hunter play a childless couple whose desperation for parenthood drives them to insane measures as they steal one of another family's recently born quintuplets. Hilarity, obviously, ensues.
The Hand That Rocks the Cradle (1992)
It's not all laughs and japes in the world of childless women, however — the psycho childnapper thriller is a genre for a reason. That desperation for motherhood takes on dangerously terrifying form in The Hand That Rocks the Cradle. Curtis Hanson's twisted 1992 thriller sees Rebecca De Mornay star as Mrs. Mott, a nanny who ends up kidnapping the baby she was hired to care for.
Malice (1993)
Another entry into the baby thriller micro-genre, this film directed by Harold Becker and written by Aaron Sorkin follows a couple — Nicole Kidman and Bill Pullman — who are having issues conceiving a child. They eventually visit a nefarious baby doctor — future Boss Baby Alec Baldwin — who complicates things further.
Maybe Baby (2000)
Another comedy about a couple going to great measures to try to conceive a child, Maybe Baby was written and directed by Ben Elton, whose Black Adder collaborator Rowan Atkinson (aka Mr. Bean) also appears. That said, the real star of the film is Hugh Laurie. Watch it if you'd prefer laughs over murder.
Children of Men (2006)
Instead of laughs or jump scares, Children of Men takes the theme of infertility to extreme, dystopian depths. In 2027, all women have become infertile and as a result society is falling apart. When Clive Owen discovers a miraculously pregnant woman, he must protect her long enough for her to give birth. It's a complex thriller steeped in metaphor — and it's also one hell of an action movie.
