Are you worried about your vagina?Because the women of the "Vagina Monologues" are worried about theirs ... and yours. This play actually is a series of monologues, based on Eve Ensler's interviews with 200 women. The interviews consisted of questions to the tune of: "If your vagina could talk, what would it say?" and "If your vagina got dressed, what would it wear?" One thing is for sure: by the end of this performance, you will be much more comfortable with the word "vagina" and all of its synonyms.
Ensler's monologues range from the hilarious to the tragic, covering issues from the horrors of tampon use to female genitalia mutilation in Africa.
In one monologue, entitled "My Vagina Was My Village," a woman from Kosovo, once secure with and proud of her body,describes her experience of capture by Bosnian soldiers. After seven days of being raped with rifles, broom handles and sticks, the sexually battered woman can no longer bear the thought of her own genitalia. Ensler's poignantly worded script, along with Amanda McRaven's superb acting skills, effectively drags you to emotional ruin.
Just as quickly as Ensler's monologues incite despair, they also throw you into fits of laughter. In "My Vagina is Angry," for example, a frustrated woman rants about the torturous practices of feminine hygiene. Among the topics discussed are visits to the gynecologist and feminine deodorant spray. Actress Gretchen Lee Krich screams the entire monologue at the top of her lungs, adding to the already outlandish humor. When talking about her trip to the gynecologist, Krich begs her examiner to "WARM UP THE DUCK LIPS, PLEASE!"
Perhaps the greatest downfall of the monologues was the fact that the actresses read off note cards for the vast majority of the performance, often losing eye contact with the audience. At first, the cards seemed merely props, but the actresses' continual reference to them proved otherwise. This minute exception aside, the acting was stellar. The actresses were so effective that the audience was inordinately emotionally involved and responsive to what was happening on stage. Throughout the performance, the viewers were either rolling in laughter, rendered silent or screaming agreeing shouts of "Amen!" Despite the fact that there were only three actresses for the multitude of monologues, each work stood apart due to the high level of characterization.
"The Vagina Monologues" isn't your typical professional play. Your ticket price doesn't pay to support an overpaid Broadway diva's shopping addiction. Rather, a considerable proportion of the proceeds are donated to "V-Day" -- Eve Ensler's re-invention of the Valentine holiday, which serves the purpose of raising money and awareness in regard to violence against women. V-Day gives a portion of the money back to the city where the monologues were performed, donating funds to local non-profit organizations such as rape crisis centers and women's shelters.
If you're interested in learning more about vaginas, you have more than one opportunity.The professional "Monologues" will be at The Jefferson Theatre (on the Downtown Mall) until Feb. 16.Tickets range from approximately $20 to $40, and are available either online (www.vaginamonologues.com) or by phone at 1-800-594-TIXX. If you're not willing to shell out the money for the pros, don't despair -- the U.Va. Spectrum Theatre will be performing an equally enticing production of "The Vagina Monologues" from Feb. 21-23.
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