Vagina Monologues

The Vagina Monologues is made up of a varying number of monologues read by a varying number of women initially, Eve Ensler (the author of the Vagina Monologues performed every monologue herself, with subsequent performances featuring three actresses, and more recent versions featuring a different actress for every role. Every monologue somehow relates to the vagina, be it through sex, love, rape, menstruation, mutilation, masturbation, birth, orgasm, the variety of names for the vagina, or simply as a physical aspect of the female body. A recurring theme throughout the piece is the vagina as a tool of female empowerment, and the ultimate embodiment of individuality.

Ð'* The set was nothing spectacular. The actor’s simple performed monologues on the stage.

Ð'* The costumes were really costume; just people in street clothes. They really didn’t help with identity, or didn’t give a distinction to the characters on stage.

Ð'* The lightning and sound effects put this show over the top, the different lighting cues on each monologue showed the importance of each crisis or direr situation for each woman who was simply a victim of the struggle. The sound was only utilized for various dramatic effects in each monologue; for example women raped against their will. For this particular play the characters didn’t have distinct names; therefore I must go by monologue names in order to decipher who is who. Of some monologues that were good were; Some monologues, like the story of a young woman who was sexually abused by male relatives but then found redemption (and intense pleasure) with her first lesbian experience, combine drama and comedy. Ms. Ensler finds humor in the use of hand mirrors at get-to-know-your-anatomy workshops (''I have lost my clitoris! I shouldn't have worn it swimming!''), an elderly woman's dreams about Burt Reynolds, the indignities of pelvic exams and one particular four-letter word for vagina that she has decided should be a term of endearment and praise, not an insult. Or the, The Little Coochie Snorcher That Could, in which a woman recalls memories of traumatic sexual experiences in her childhood and a self-described "positive healing" sexual experience in her adolescent years with an older woman. In the original version, she is 13, but later versions would change her age to 16. This particular skit has sparked numerous controversies and criticisms due to its content. The best scene would be The Little Coochie Snorcher That Could, due to its content and the best actress would be Hilary Goldman a William Paterson University student due to her performance as an oppressed rape victim.

Ð'* Given everything I would classify this play as a drama. I received a call to action type persona from this particular play. This play is particularly relevant to both the political and social issues and problems, because these problems affect real women in a society on so many levels.

Ð'* The directing was stellar and top notch; the director captured the true essence of the play. The unifying concept was the vaginas became a symbol of liberation and reform. I was led to this conclusion, when Hilary Goldman’s monologue explained how women are born to reproduce, learn, and to grow all at the same time. I found various information in the program; which was particularly history about the show, such as; Eve Ensler wrote the first draft of the monologues in 1996 (there have been several revisions since) following interviews she conducted with 200 women about their views on sex, relationships, and violence against women. The interviews began as casual conversations with her friends, who then brought up anecdotes they themselves had been told by other friends; this began a continuing chain of referrals. In an interview with women.com,