Even warriors need rest. Shield Maiden is taking a summer break from touring and performing. Our team has been so grateful for all the opportunities and interest in the play.
I am taking a break from performing. but the reasons why I created Shield Maiden are still real and present dangers. Women’s rights, safety and autonomy are being challenged to a greater degree today and that is very hard to deal with. Even the themes from Shield Maiden seem to be more relevant today than when the play was first written.
One of the main themes is rage; what it looks like, who gets to express it, what costs come with expressing it.
A recent article in The Guardian titled “All the rage:women are furious – and repressing it can ruin our lives” highlights the very real consequences of inequality on women. It’s a great article and I hope you take the time to give it a read. We keep fighting the good fight. We keep standing up for ourselves at work, at home, in our art, and it is exhausting. And even if we are privileged enough to express our rage we know so many other women are not safe to get angry. Male violence is on the rise and women are the victims. And this is exhausting. I feel compelled to shout even louder from even more hilltops. But allowing rage to go unchecked is dangerous itself. For me, I lose focus. It impacts my show and my relationships. After hitting a wall I realize even warriors need rest.
I decided to take the summer off. Our daughter just graduated from high school and moved out (yes, it’s a very big deal). Our family dog of 13 years died. We started a new business. All these things were a year in the making but they all happened at once. Luckily, I didn’t have a nervous breakdown (would you blame me if I did?). I did however realize that I needed time to connect with friends and family. I needed to slow down and take a breath.
I have been performing Shield Maiden since 2018.
I love being the character Ingrid. I love her more today than I did in the beginning. Stepping into this role has gifted me with the opportunity to explore rage in a way I NEVER would have before. It has been very hard to crack the nice girl veneer that was cemented into me by family and society from early on. I still am that nice girl. However, I am now more honest with myself and those around me. I have better boundaries that are easier to maintain. But I have to be honest. – it’s also been exhausting.
I think being a human right now is exhausting.
I’m not special in that way. This is a weird time. So, I have laid my swords down. I am stepping away from the battle temporarily and I have retreated to my sweet little homestead to regroup, swim in the ocean and rest.
I hope that you can rest a little too. I know everyone’s situation is different and perhaps a rest looks like stepping into a cool library to read a magazine. Maybe it’s as simple as watching a show on Netflix that makes you giggle. I think any attempt we can make to take a break is monumental. I will say it again…even warriors need rest. Recharge the batteries. Get ready. The fight is long and far from over.
Until next time, stay tuned for updates. Because let’s be honest, of course I’ve been working behind the scenes on something big for Shield Maiden. But now, rest. Sköl! To resting!
