It is only 30 minutes long however word of mouth is saying that Patricia Cornelius play is going to cause quite a stir.
SLUT had a very strong reaction when it was performed last year at Festival Fatale produced by Women in Theatre and Screen (WITS).
Such has been the response that the play is now having a second life.
SLUT charts Lolita’s journey from being a pre-teen, when her life is pretty much under the wing and whim of her parents and family, to her late teens when she has well and truly started to step out on her own, and own her thoughts, feelings and sexuality.Erin Taylor is directing the piece and I had a brief chat with her. The production comprises a cast of five, with the actresses coming from different drama schools around the country.
Jessica-Belle Keogh plays the main and only fully fledged character, Lolita. Julia Dray, Danielle Stamoulos, Maryann Wright and Bobbie-Jean Henning play a variety of characters which she comes across, as well as, at times, forming a chorus which comments on the action.
Taylor described how Lolita is something of a free, adventurous spirit, a party girl who lives a bit on the wild side. Some around her see her as a bit of a provocateur, that her behaviour is sluttish.
One night things come to a head and she is sexually assaulted. People are divided about the incident. Some people say that she asked for it, others are appalled about what happened and fear that independent, sexually confident young women will never be respected by a chauvinistic, repressive society.
Taylor spoke briefly about her background. She is a graduate from Wollongong University’s School of Creative Arts, having majored in Theatre Studies. She has directed a number of productions since graduating, and particularly enjoys working on new Australian plays.
She was delighted when Redline Productions offered her a season. The play is to be performed as the early play before the scheduled main season play, Penelope Skinner’s The Village Bike.
Ease of logistics has meant that the play will take place on the set for The Village Bike. Taylor said that this wouldn’t be a problem as Cornelius’ play is non naturalistic, flexible and doesn’t require a specified setting. Nate Edmondson’s soundscape with use of modern pop music will help to create the play’s world.
Our conversation was coming to end. Did she have any final words to say about what kind of experience theatregoers can expect.
“SLUT is not a didactic play. It doesn’t tell you what to think. I see this play as wanting to start a conversation…to get people talking and thinking about the challenges that young women face today.”
SLUT sounds like it will be well worth seeing, and a good curtain raiser to the main event, Rachel Chant’s production of Penelope Skinner’s THE VILLAGE BIKE, a much longer piece which is also set to raise eyebrows.
I suspect many people will stay on after seeing SLUT, having a bite to eat at the bistro, and then see Skinner’s play. It all bodes well for one of the best Independent Theatre venues in Sydney.
SLUT will play the Old Fitz between the 13th and the 24th June.
http://www.redlineproductions.com.au
I definitely see this play as starting a conversation. I did not see Lolita as a “sexually confident young woman” but a young teen who was admired and encouraged by her friends as she was becoming more aware of her sexuality, which she began to exploit. As her behaviour becomes more slutish her friends get embarrassed and leave her to her ways instead of supporting her and helping her to have more respect for herself. The conversation that I would hope to start is how friends can help each other respect themselves and how young men should have more respect for girls and not use them.