Whack! tells the true story of Angelina Nopolitana, an Italian immigrant living in Sault Ste Marie who, in 1911, murdered her husband with an axe while he slept. Despite having suffered extreme abuse, knife attacks, and an attempt by her husband to force her into prostitution, she was convicted of murder by an all male jury. Whack! tells the story in a highly theatrical, kaleidoscopic way, as we follow Angelina's struggle to fight prejudice and the patriarchy, eventually mounting the first battered wife defense in Canadian history. Three actors play multiple character in this fast moving, heartbreaking, and ultimately uplifting story.
Keywords:Â murder, Sault Ste Marie, history
Produced by Here For Now Theatre, Stratford ON, 2019
Remounted, Summer 2020
Genre: Drama
Acts: 1
Run time: 75 minutes
Cast size: 3 actors
Female roles: 3