Photos from Eve Ensler (Left to right) Julianna
Margulies, Julie Kavner, and
Rosie Perez will appear in Eve Ensler’s "The
Vagina Monologues" at the Canon Theatre in Beverly Hills Oct.
13-19. The second cast will begin Oct. 31.
By Barbara McGuire
Daily Bruin Senior Staff
All women have one, worry about it, wonder about it, sometimes
secretly despise it, and often refuse to acknowledge its existence.
Nonetheless have the courage to say its name ““ vagina.
Eve Ensler’s world-renowned theatrical play, “The
Vagina Monologues,” explores this private topic by analyzing
and breaking it down to the point that the actual word
“vagina” loses its uncomfortable connotation, and
instead makes all of the above disturbingly apparent.
Currently showing at the Canon Theatre in Beverly Hills, the
cast changes every three weeks to keep the story fresh. Current
cast members include Rosie Perez (“White Men Can’t
Jump”), Julie Kavner, (the voice of Marge Simpson on
“The Simpsons”), and Julianna Margulies,
(“E.R.”). The second cast promises to be just as award
winning: it stars Carol Kane, Phylicia Rashad and Kimberly
Williams.
“(“˜The Vagina Monologues’) is a piece based on
interviews Ensler did with over 200 women which she then turned
into individual monologues,” director Joe Mantello explained
in a recent interview. “Some are nearly verbatim, some are
changed a little, but they are on a wide variety of subjects,
regarding vaginas, some are comical, serious, moving ““
everything.”
 Eve Ensler‘s "The Vagina Monologues" is
now playing at the Canon Theatre in Beverly Hills. The show,
however, doesn’t follow the standard format of a play. The
actors step out of character in between most monologues to laugh at
each other’s performances, and provide the audience with
various “vagina facts.” Such facts range from the
upbeat: women have twice as many nerve gatherings in their sexual
organ as opposed to men; to the shocking statistics on the number
of women who have their vaginas mutilated each year in Africa.
Audience members also learn, through such informal commentary,
of the questions that Ensler asked each woman and the answers she
got. One question is, “If you could dress your vagina up,
what would it wear?” Answers range from “an electric
shock devise to keep the unwanted away,” to “a
slicker,” to “a beret,” but all demonstrate just
how different women can be.
Though most monologues are, for the most part, comical, Ensler
didn’t write “The Vagina Monologues” from just
one perspective. Honest, heart breaking and depressing monologues
are also included in the evening, which allow for a well-rounded
performance.
One touching monologue, titled “The Cooche Snorcher That
Could,” focuses on a homeless woman who had been sexually
abused as a child by her father’s friend. Fortunately, the
story ends on a happy note, as the woman finds true love with
another woman at the shelter where she was staying.
One interesting aspect of the show is the way in which the
performers act out emotionally trying pieces only to suddenly
switch gears with an amusing monologue. Throughout the evening, the
audience responds with both tears of joy and tears of sadness.
Rosie Perez’s first piece is especially funny. Prior to
getting into character, she mentioned a topic all women who were
interviewed touched on. The topic was hair, and not the hair on
their head.
The woman in this monologue has issues with the fact that her
husband wants her to shave all of her pubic hair. She wants to
please him, but feels it is not worth the resulting rash (that
cannot be cured even with calamine lotion) nor the childish way it
makes her feel.
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Nine monologues are performed between the three performers, all
concerning women of various ages and ethnicities. One, titled
“The Flood,” tells the story of a 72-year-old woman who
has never had an orgasm and refers to her vagina as a cellar
because it hasn’t gotten any action since 1953. Another
focuses on a former lawyer-turned-lesbian dominatrix who discovered
her sole purpose in life is to make other women moan.
“I just think it’s something that hasn’t been
talked about in such an open way,” said Mantello. “I
think people, not only women, but most people that I know that have
seen it, find it very liberating.”
“It’s really entertaining,” he added.
“But, it’s really smart and I think it has the power to
change people.”
“The Vagina Monologues” provides an honest and
uncensored look at women and their feelings toward their vaginas.
Hidden under the guise of more comical moments, the true message is
to show the world how women can be insecure about what lies between
their legs. Capable of providing a learning experience for both men
and women, the monologues are truly revolutionary as they attempt
to change the way vaginas are perceived.
THEATER: “The Vagina Monologues” is currently
showing at the Canon Theatre, 205 North Canon Dr. in Beverly Hills
through Nov. 19. Ticket prices range from $25 to $49.50, and can be
purchased by calling (310) 859-2830 or on the Web at www.vmlosangeles.com, as well as
at all Ticketmaster outlets. Performances are Tuesday through
Friday at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sundays at 3
p.m. and 7 p.m.