UCL’s The Welkin: A Story of Female Injustice and Power

The Welkin Poster By Laura Carbrey

‘If I only could, I would make a deal with God, and get him to swap our places.’- Kate Bush

UCL’s The Welkin is an immensely poignant yet controversial jury room drama, which foregrounds salient social issues of both the 18th and 21st century, wrapped neatly within a two hour historical performance.  This is also the story of twelve actresses, privileged in their education, studying subjects of literature, history, economics and medicine at one of the capitals most esteemed universities, who trade places with their great, great grandmothers and delve into a world of misogyny, power, and impropriety.

Thrust into the labyrinth of the 18th-century legal system, where female bodily autonomy is not considered a birthright, the audience is called to bear witness to the trial of Sally Poppy. Her fate hangs in the balance of a fractured jury, tasked with deciding whether she is pregnant (“quick with child”), which determines if she’ll be spared from the death sentence for commiting a crime deemed unforgivable.

Director Ava Potter and producer Amelia Grota were challenged to bring this ambitious play to life in UCL’s Bloomsbury Theatre. With the support of a talented, female-led cast, they explore the complex interplay of power dynamics, gender inequality, and moral ambiguity that underpin this production written by Lucy Kirkwood.

The cast’s nuanced performances breathe life into Kirkwood’s sharp dialogue, while the sparse, dimly lit stage mirrors the claustrophobia of the jury room. This is a testing challenge for any producer and director, who must balance the intensity of the performances with the atmospheric constraints of the set, while ensuring every moment resonates with the audience. And the duo manage to do just this.

In the opening scene, Elizabeth Luke, played by Liberty Blackwood, is wrapped into a tense exchange with Mr Coombes, depicted by Johnnie Davis. He is convinced Sally deserves to be hanged for her crimes, but Elizabeth questions whether justice is truly being served.

Blackwood’s depiction of Elizabeth was nothing short of an acting masterclass, as she seamlessly blended visceral emotion with unwavering strength. Functioning as the moral fabric of the courtroom, Elizabeth provides a refreshing viewpoint amidst many morally ambiguous characters, indoctrinated by patriarchal authority.  She delivered many memorable lines throughout the play, such as: “Nobody blames God when there is a woman to blame instead”, highlighting the pervasive scapegoating of women which some may argue is just as true today as it was then.

Of course, this review wouldn’t be complete without mentioning Sally Poppy, played with raw intensity by Avesta Maqsudi. Her portrayal of the character was both defiant and deeply human, a reflection of the figure caught in the crossfire of public outrage and private despair. 

An honourable mention goes out to Gabriella Roe, who played Mary Middleton, and stunned us all with her transcendent vocals during a rendition of Kate Bush’s ‘Running up that Hill’, in an unexpected turn of events.  

As the show progresses, the jury room becomes a battlefield of ideologies, where conversations about justice, morality, and gender echo with eerie resonance. Lines like, “When the law cannot see a woman, how can it see her truth?” land with a weight that transcends the historical setting, connecting past injustices to present struggles.

The Welkin isn’t just a historical drama; it’s a mirror held up to our own geopolitical status, demanding uncomfortable but necessary questions about progress and persisting inequities.