Eve Ensler’s 1996 play, The
Vagina Monologues, has been described as one of the most important pieces
of political theatre ever devised. It has been produced thousands of times
around the world and led to the creation of a non-profit movement that has
raised millions to end violence against women.
Two decades later, it continues to be a vital theatrical
work, given the stories of body image, self-worth, violence, genital
mutilation, sex work and birth resonate in whichever community the show is
produced.
Deafferent Theatre create theatre by and for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
communities. Their production of Ensler’s play includes sign language,
projected text, voice over to bridge the gap between the deaf and hearing
audience but plays most directly for the deaf community.
In spite of this play being widely produced, I’ve never seen
a full production, though I have seen excerpts and read the published version
of the play. (Ensler continues to write monologues; different productions will
include different combinations.)
Four women sit around a table and trade stories about sex,
sexuality, menstruation, puberty, violence and learning to love their bodies. A
monologue that catalogues different slang names for vagina is left for the hearing
audience to decipher, as the performers sign and mime. A monologue about the
messiness of childbirth which is visceral when read aloud, becomes slightly
comical when those anatomical moments are recounted in AUSLAN.
As a hearing person, I didn’t engage with some
sections of this production, but I was thrilled to see Deafferent create a work
for a community that isn’t well represented on stage or for an audience that
isn’t always catered for.
The Vagina Monologues
is an important work for any number of communities and exposing it to deaf and
hard-of-hearing both on and off-stage reminds us all how relevant these stories
remain.
Comments