10 GAY PEOPLE'S CHRONICLE March 23, 2001
toningsout
Many different stories make up the Vagina Monologues
by Kaizaad Kotwal
In his "Audience Manifesto," Steven Dietz astutely noted that, "We should encourage theater artists to go where we dare not. We should thank them (grudgingly, at times) for revealing to each of us, individually, what our boundaries are
द
social, sexual, religious, political. We should applaud them when they help us either draw the line or, willingly,
Eve Ensler
step over it. Ask
that your theater artist talk about what you talk
about at the dinner table-
but, also demand that they talk about and show you, the things you're afraid to bring up at the dinner table, at work, with friends. Demand that they be militantly articulate about the world. The American theater needs fewer chestnuts and more grenades."
It's almost as if writes Eve Ensler has used Dietz's manifesto to create the world-wide phenomenon known as The Vagina Monologues. It's been all the rage since 1996 when it opened off-Broadway. Who'd have
thought that a play about female genitalia would become a red-hot hit?
The Vagina Monologues has been the stuff of grandiose buzz, and every woman worth her salt in the acting world has done a stint on the show, from Marisa Tomei and Winona Ryder to Gloria Steinem and Lily Tomlin. Kathy Najimy, Susan Sarandon, Liz Smith and Whoopi Goldberg have all done their "part" to lend their star power to spread the word about that pair of labia,、 majora and minora.
Based on over 200 hundred interviews conducted by playwright Eve Ensler with women from all walks of life, The Vagina Monologues has become an icon of the post-feminist era, bringing a once taboo topic out of the dark, so to speak, with frankness and humor.
But to be fair to the piece, the show is not about genitalia. Rather it is about human experiences, ranging from the funny and downright outrageous to the poignant and stunningly tragic.
In 1997 The Vagina Monologues won an Obie Award and was nominated for Drama Desk and Helen Hayes Awards.
Ensler has also recently finished filming the play for HBO. She considers her play a vehicle for consciousness raising. This is not surprising, since the women in this piece share their innermost thoughts, feelings and stories about the most secret and private part of their physical anatomy. But, as sexual politics has taught us, it's not simply about anatomy-it's really about power.
The stories in Ensler's unique collection of monologues are told in frank and open language. In part, she is demystifying myths about the anatomy and at the same time
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taking ownership of the private space by proclaiming it all aloud in public. The women and their stories are very real, very recognizable and very human. What takes Ensler's work to an even higher level is the fact that she has gathered tales from women who are young and old, black and white, American and international, rich and poor, straight and gay.
One vignette is called "My Angry Vagina," while in another a British woman takes a workshop to learn about her body. In a third, vaginal depilation is discussed, and common obscenities for that body part are dealt with in a fourth. On the more serious front, a few vignettes deal with genital mutilation, the rape of women in Bosnia, and women who were abused as children. Others deal with menstruation, gynecological exams and a whole variety of sexual issues.
The show has had many incarnations. It has been done as an all-star parade with multiple stage and film stars. It has also been performed as a one-woman show by the play's creator.
On tour it has been performed by three actresses playing the colorful group of women talking about their equally colorful vaginal tales. Since 1996 the show has been used annually on Valentine's Day to raise money for an assortment of
women's causes. The show has become an international cause célèbre, having received performances in Berlin, Athens, Zagreb, and London with the Mexican production opening soon.
The Columbus stopover of the tour will feature two New York actresses, Sherri Parker and Starla Benford. They will be joined by Columbus singer-songwriter Sally Fingerett, a member of the nationally touring folk group Four Bitchin' Babes. The play is directed by Abby Epstein wth sets by Loy Arcenas and lighting by Beverly Emmons.
The Wexner Center in Columbus will be presenting the U.S. tour of "The Vagina Monologues," from March 27 through April 1 in the Thurber Theatre in the Drake Center (1849 Cannon Drive at Ohio State University). Showtimes are Tuesday-Friday, March 27-30 at 8 pm; Saturday, March 31 at 3 and 3 pm; and Sunday, April 1 at 3 and 7 pm. Call 614-292-3535 for tickets and information.
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The production will then move to the Little Theatre at the Music Hall from May 1 to May 27. There will be a May 10 benefit performance for Planned Parenthood. For tickets or information, ca0ll 216-241-5555 in Cleveland, 330-945-9400 in Akron, or go to http://www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets for the benefit are available by calling 216-881-7742, ext. 206.
Tale of love triangle returns to the screen
by Anthony Glassman
The Cleveland Cinematheque is bringing a classic back to the screen, presenting the 1971 John Schlesinger film Sunday, Bloody Sunday.
The film, Schlesinger's follow-up to his Academy Award-winning Midnight Cowboy, follows three people involved in a relationship in the swinging early '70s in mod London. Alex Greville (Glenda Jackson) works in an office finding employment for people who have been laid off in the middle of a massive recession in England. She is in a relationship with Bob Elkin (Murray Head), an installation artist who is also seeing Daniel Hirsch (Peter Finch), a successful Jewish doctor.
Elkin juggles his two lovers deftly, even though they know about each other and feel some amount of jealousy when he is with the other.
The film follows them over the course of a couple of weeks until the Sunday when
Bob goes to the United States to do some work for American companies. Will he have both of his lovers when he returns?
Alex talks about when nothing is better than anything; Daniel ponders whether being happy is reason enough; and Bob wanders rather blithely through everything.
It's a brilliantly written film, and Schlesinger elicits dazzling performances from Jackson and Finch. Murray Head as Bob is a bit strange; he seems to wander through the movie like a ghost, spurring on the action while not really being fully fleshed out as a character. Of course, Head is far more famous for singing One Night in Bangkok from the Chess soundtrack than for this film.
Sunday, Bloody Sunday will be shown at the Cleveland Cinematheque on Monday, March 26 at 7 pm. The Cinematheque is located in the Cleveland Institute of Art at 11141 East Blvd, in University Circle. They can be reached at 216-421-7450, or online at http://www.cia.edu/cinematheque.
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