Slut
Edgeware Forum and Rue La Rocket in association with Red Line present SLUT, by Patricia Cornelius, at the Old Fitz Theatre, Cathedral St, Wooloomoloo. 15-24 June.
I first saw SLUT*** at the New Theatre in 2015. SLUT is a short play for 5 women by Australian writer, Patricia Cornelius. It is a production, Directed by Erin Taylor, and played by Julia Dray, Bobbie-Jean Henning, Jessica Keogh (Lolita), Danielle Stamoulos and Maryann Wright, on the Old Fitz Theatre stage.
From the chorus of actors talking in a joint-narrative direct to the audience we learn that Lolita of her peer group matures physically earlier than the others. The societal perceptive-pressure on this young woman radiates from her friends and spills to the men in the world about her. Judgemental perceptions isolate the young woman and ‘wounded’ she finds herself in a web of abuse. The effect on this promising young woman’s life is ‘catastrophic’.
In crisp and uncompromising logical content written in a kind of prose-poetic form, Ms Cornelius, in 35 minutes takes us on a journey of realities that are breathtaking in their truthfulness. The ‘collateral damage’ to Lolita, and by inference to our society is tragic, even as we recognise its accepted everyday familiarities.
This performance is ‘drilled’ with a precision of specifics that makes light work of the trajectory of the narrative that, ultimately, has an inevitable weighted impact. The company of actors are a synchronised ensemble working in a space belonging to another production (THE VILLAGE BIKE) that have an empathetic fervour of the need to tell this story.
It is well done by all. By demand, another of Ms Cornelius’ plays SHIT, is returning to the Seymour Centre for a short season.