Who needs the wisdom of philosophers when you have a vagina? Such, at least, is the attitude portrayed by the women performing in the Women Students Association's 2008 production of Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues."
On the nights of Feb. 29 and March 1, 19 women bravely bared it all (metaphorically speaking, at least) for the purpose of raising awareness, not just about the relationship women share with their "coochie snorchers" but more importantly, to garner support for the eradication of violence against women.
How, exactly, can a piece that refers to the vagina as "Mongo," "Totita," "Mimi" and, of course, a "Vajayjay" all in one scene simultaneously address a subject as serious as relationship violence?
The show's organizer, fourth-year print journalism student Karissa Lindsay explained, "You have to reach people where they are. If I can get someone to come to the show thinking 'Oh, they're going to talk about vaginas, that's funny,' and then impart a more serious message upon them, then that's a success."
The actresses were able to balance their unique personalities with the universality of the play's intended spirit. In "My Angry Vagina," Sophia Jackson shined, coming off as ironically likable while she yelled about true societal menaces: gynecologists and thong underwear. As strange as it sounds, the reason Jackson didn't sound bitter or crass was because her complaints didn't sound as though they were her own. Instead, Jackson was simply a messenger for her vagina, allowing it to speak through her.
Still, not all vaginas are full of contempt for society. Mary Tablac playfully brought the innocence back to the vagina in "A Six-Year-Old Girl was Asked …" After over an hour of frank, unabashed talk about sex, the vagina and various forms of violence against women, Tablac reminded the audience of the lighthearted, pig-tailed, barefoot innocent side of all vaginas. Although it hardly lasted a full minute, the performance stood out, not only in content but also in the mood it brought to life.
Similarly, Nikki Schwartz, a fourth-year anthropology student, provocatively told the tale of a first sexual experience in "The Little Coochie Snorcher that Could." Even amongst the admittedly blatant lesbian erotica the scene revolved around, Schwartz never hid the true message of the piece, one of learning and growing up, under the piece's sexuality.
Accepting the sexuality of the play, however, was hardly an easy task for her.
"I originally thought the entire show was very backwards and too extreme," Schwartz admitted. "I thought it pushed women away instead of opening them up to talk about issues like sexuality and violence, but performing in it has really changed my view on the play."
The women of the "Monologues" had to work not only to find comfort talking about the innermost parts of the female anatomy, but also to go above and beyond in their performances.
Possibly the most uninhibited of all was Liz Cronin, a second-year pre-medicine student, in "The Woman Who Loved to Make Vaginas Happy." Playing the sex worker next door, she demonstrated every type of moan imaginable (and some that only Eve Ensler could think of), from the "Tortured Zen moan" to the "triple orgasm moan," leaving all watching doubled over in laughter.
It was with the spirit of shameless entertainment that "The Vagina Monologues" were performed. Audience members left the theater encouraged to connect with themselves and one another emotionally instead of just physically, and all were left with valuable knowledge about the struggles of women across the world, from Africa to Bosnia to New Orleans.
Above all else, "The Vagina Monologues" were a celebration not only of women but also of the V-Day movement and hope for a future free of violence against women.
