Last night I took a Beautiful Lady out for her first attendance of the Vagina Monologues at the Pico Playhouse. I have to say, I was really disappointed.
Full disclosure: I had seen the play at my small performing and liberal arts school, then decided to audition. My last performance was "The Woman who Loved to Make Vaginas Happy"-- corporate lawyer turned sex worker who loved to hear women moan, then demonstrates all the different moans to the delight of the audience. So I'm totally biased because I had such an incredibly wonderful experience working with all those women, many of whom were already my friends, but all of whom were sex-positive, feminist and who clearly loved their vaginas. That being said, I really didn't feel like these women, who were professionals and classically trained actresses, could hold a candle to the production put on entirely by undergraduates.
I DIDN'T FREAKIN FEEL THE LOVE!!! I felt like the performance was rushed, both in the manner of speaking the dialogues and how each monologue ended with lighting. We should not be viewing the back of an actress as she walks back to her mark, then darkness. But to start at the beginning, there was a pointless clip from comedy.com that I think was promoting a new show, but I can't be sure. Furthermore, I do not think this is allowed as performances of The Vagina Monologues do not allow men on stage during the performance--whether this extends to taped performances or not I will not know until I get a response from my inquiry to V-Day, the organization created to raise funds and awareness regarding violence against women.
Every year the script changes, mostly because a new monologue is written regarding a current issue such as comfort women, transwomen, or this year: the woman in the Congo. Since I was not privy to this year's script, I do not know how much the core monologues have changed, but I do know that there were several changes and omissions to those monologues. At first I thought it was the mistake of the actress, again because of rushed reading, but when it happened again I wondered if it was actually on purpose due to the nature of the edit that made it more "socially acceptable"? Making changes to the script is definitely not allowed.
Finally, audience interaction. I want you as the performer to reach out, twist me around, and play with my heart. I want you to make me feel. Instead, I found myself glancing at my friend's iPhone wondering what we would do after this shit show was over. Maybe that's harsh. Maybe that's not female positive, but damn. I can now understand why people don't want to see this show. This sucked. It's supposed to be conversational, you're supposed to interact with the audience--make us scream CUNT! Make us get moist during the 20 different moans! Make us cry when reading about rape victims of wars. There were so many subtle nuances of humor and poignancy that were totally lost--again much to the fault of speed reading.
So when this show was over, K. and I scope out the rest of our night. I mention a strip club around the corner, she says she hasn't been to a strip club in awhile. I ask her if she wants to go to Jumbo's. Her eyes light up and her face breaks into the widest smile, so I whisk her away to the iconic strip club.
Here, well, here I felt the love. I not only felt it from K.'s face at her delight of being in presence of scantily clad women, but the strippers themselves were talented, dedicated and putting their all into the show. Granted they are putting their effort for immediate monetary compensation, but I was so into them. We were inspired to take pole dancing lessons and practice on the pole in her apartment. We particularly favored two Beautiful Ladies. One dark haired beauty admired for her feistiness, dancing to Blue Monday, kicking the edge of the stage--our favorite was her move of standing precariously on the lighted tip rail in her black stilettos, then looking at the pole with a shrug and defiance, and catapulting herself on to the pole.
However, we both fell in love with a tall, Blonde thing, elegant and edged with tattoos, including a beautiful back piece of a peacock. She delicately and firmly placed her black stilettos on the mirrored ceiling, carefully wrapped her body around the pole with such artistry--at one point she only used her arms hold herself away from the pole, her body parallel and vertical--damn! I found her criss-crossed black garters wonderfully sexy.
I don't know much about these women, but I'd wager to say at least some have some training in dance and gymnastics.
My point about all this is that the women who boasted years of theater experience and fancy degrees from Oxford, they didn't put as much love and effort into their performance as the strippers at Jumbo's.
I put the full heart into my play.
8 comments:
Dear Ms. Justine:
In response to all your questions.
The Vday website allows you to add whatever you will to your performance so long as The Vagina Monologues stays in tact. If you note your program, The Vagina Monologues was only a part of the performance. The script changes every year per Ms. Ensler's doing. this may explain why it is different than when you performed it. As a part of our Vday event we also included the MENding Monologues, a male perspective to violence against women.
As an event coordinator there are pages and pages of rules and suggestions given from Vday and I assure you that the West L.A. production followed them to the letter. Although you did not feel this production was up to your amatuer performance's standards we, the production team, received tons of emails complimenting our show. Many of these from men, who thought our performance was passionate yet did not blame or alienate them as men.
We are proud of our event and do not apologize nor would we change anything about it. I am sorry you do not share the feelings of so many, but at least you contributed to a worthy cause and you can at least feel you got that out of it. The women of the DRC and the rape survivors that Peace Over Violence strive to help are really what the event was all about.
Ms. Justine,
As much as appreciate your blog - I must admit I had never seen the Monologues - I consider myself a well rounded - very experienced woman of 45 and was more than thrilled at the performances of the 3 young talented ladies I saw on that Sat. night - I came away with an awareness - something I would never of received had I not of gone - and yes I was entertained - I loved the simpleness - you being an actress will of course find every flaw you can - becuase you always think you can do it better - such is life - when you are sitting in the audience - - and lets face it...it was a cheap ticket for a great cause - I drove a distance to see it and would again - and I loved the movie clip - I live in a house full of men - and let me tell you...they don't with me..but man they blame the "curse" on everything that is wrong with a woman - aw I thank God every day I am a girl - so to the women at the Pico Playhouse - and Cruthaigh productions - thank you for a wonderful evening, a wonderful message and a wonderful effort - go forth and spread the word - "a pussy should...smell and taste like a pussy".....
Highest Regards
Cliney from the O.C.
After reading Ms. Justine's blog I have a short profound thought that maybe the wonderful women that performed in this production were just too heterosexual for her! Of course, since she is a dominatrix (of women?) she would not be pleased with seeing STRONG women performances - she only preys on the weak women (to dominate or watch strip:)
Reading this review, you sound to me like an actress who might never feel like another production will live up to the amazing experience you had with The Vagina Monologues in college.
While I totally understand this, I feel like your review was unnecessarily harsh. I saw the performance on Friday and enjoyed what I thought to be a thoughtful and honest presentation of the monologues.
Like any great work of theatre, you have to have some laughter in a drama, or some tears in a comedy, for there to be honesty. Your seeming inability to find one nice thing to say about this production makes me unable to conclude that your review was born of anything other than bitterness.
I too saw this production and thought it was very well done. Granted, this was only the 10th production of the Vagina Monologues that I have seen (I unfortunately have not been given the opportunity to perform in the Vagina Monologues due to my lack of a vagina), which in no way makes me any type of expert on this particular subject, but at the very least gives me a good reference point for what could be, and is less likely to be, a well performed staging.
This was a well performed staging.
I also would like to applaud these women for being brave enough to step outside of the "box" (pun intended) by their inclusion of the Mending Monologues. FINALLY someone out there is including MEN in this incredibly important dialogue. This is a remarkably bold, and necessary, move and is welcomed! Hopefully this will be encouraged and continued.
Lastly, I find it ironic and disheartening that you left a discussion on the sexual violence and objectification that women face every day and go to a place called "Jumbos". You are obviously a reasonably intelligent person and can grasp the concept of sexism and gender-based violence and how it effects those in the world today. I would have hoped that, after your disappointment and lack of contentment, you would step up and be the change you want to see in the world. But hey, why do something worthwhile when you can hit a cheap strip joint?
Sorry about that last comment. As I am sure you are well aware, not all strippers are cheap.
Wow seems like some people have their panties in a bunch over your thoughts on the Vagina Monologues.
The commenter's reaction to your experience of NOT enjoying to show is exactly why i don't go see plays like the vagina monologues. heh.
I also hope the "pot shots" the commenters took made them feel better about ether their shitty performance or their lack of vag and helped them to justify their feelings. Yeah thats it Justine your too "gay" to get it. My god thats hilarious. It cant be that you just thought their staging was bad and their their performances were lackluster and rushed its because you're too "gay" thats rich!
I have been to jumbos on many occasions and id go there over yet another contrived, look at me I'm so arty, version of the vagina monologues any day.
oh and as an aside I wrote a rather negative review of the LA Operas "The Fly" and the people involved in that didn't feel it necessary to scold me on how wrong my feelings were cuz they got emails from other people saying they enjoyed it. People love Baywatch and The Jerry Springer show but sure as hell dont make it good television.
Wow, I didn't expect such a response, I guess Google does work.
In response to all current comments:
First, of all, I am not an actress.
Cruthaigh--
I know the script changes every year, I mentioned that in my post. Also, I said that I know there are very specific rules but since I did not produce the show I am not privy to them and thus made an inquiry to V-Day. I simply expressed my opinion that I found it unnecessary and offensive to include a clip from comedy.com before the performance. Since I am mistaken and could not confirm until now, I do sincerely apologize if you did follow the rules to the letter.
I did not mention it in my post, but I absolutely did not mean to dishonor the fund-raising aspect of The Vagina Monologues.
Diane--
My critique was not meant to be nitpicky in finding every "flaw" but to highlight areas I found problematic, both from a reading aspect as well as an overall theater aspect in terms of cues and lighting.
I am glad you enjoyed the show--I'm really happy you did as well as my date, I was only expressing that I did not.
Tessie--
I really don't understand what you mean by your sexuality comments and there are further grammatical errors that prevent me from fully processing what you are trying to say. However, I don't care if the women were heterosexual or not. I love to dominate men and women. I don't prey on weak women.
Tessie--
It was a review. It was not born out of bitterness. It was my opinion of the show. Obviously, as a feminist, I am always happy to see the show being put on as it will raise awareness and funds for local women.
G--
It is really telling that you are the only male to leave a comment. Whereas the comments that were posted above by women were in disagreement with me, they had the intelligence and tact to keep their argument to my critique of the show.
Where do I begin? Why is it ironic and disheartening that I went to a strip club? I guarantee those women are not coerced into stripping, there is a no contact rule and they, ahem, actually like their work. I assure you I have more than reasonable intelligence and can more than grasp the concept of sexism and gender-based violence. And I don't think either of those concepts are mutating and gaining power in Jumbo's. For a real healthy dose of sexism and gender-based violence, I would have hit up a "massage parlour" or any other space in Los Angeles or the world that employs illegally trafficked women (and children) as sex slaves, but like I said, I was already set on Jumbo's! For your information, I actually am involved in sex worker rights' movements and other organizations to combat these issues--I am the change I want to see in the world.
On a final note, just because something has to do with women, awareness and fund-raising does not mean it is always going to be an awesome production and that was the point of my review. I did not mean to undermine the larger context of which The Vagina Monologues operates, which ranges from just getting women to talk about their vaginas to sending money to women in need. My only point of the review was to discuss my opinion of the actual show.
But thank you everyone, with the exception of G since I found his comments annoying and off-topic. I relish that though we may not agree, we have a platform to discuss issues that we are passionate about--in the end, I would like to think we are on the same side of paramount issues of womens' rights.
Dear Ms. Justine,
I saw the production, and disagree with your review. Although I don't normally adhere to classical essentialist philosophy, as a man, I do realize that the socio-political dynamics between the genders does present itself with problems.
The production I saw was honest, humorous and still walked that fine line between confrontation and celebration, that the author intended.
The added elements, clearly stated as being different and additional to the original play, did give a broader context for the evening.
I felt thast the actors did a good job, the money went to a great cause and the audience seemed to enjoy it. What more dioes one want for $20.
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