anl2633's review against another edition
5.0
"In our society, a woman's only power is through men. Her character is her lack of character. She's a blank, to be filled in by creatures who at heart despise her. I want to see what woman will be when she ceases to be men's slave. When she's his equal in education and his partner in work. When she becomes herself. An individual."
In my quest to watch everything that Hugh Dancy has been in, I stumbled over this play. 2 hours later after coming across the sketchiest website to find a bootleg tape of the 2011 performance, I became obsessed. Dang this play was so good.
Based on The Bacchae and the 1870 novel Venus in Fur by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (Masoch? Masochism?), at face value the play seems like it'll be too on the nose. But then it becomes a striking commentary on the toxicity and abuse that actors face in the theater industry. Vanda's speech at the end about how Thomas is duping "some poor, willing, idiot actress and bending her to [his] program" to try and achieve the gratification he's ultimately looking for--*chef's kiss*. You don't really think about how actors (especially female artists) walk into auditions trying to get a job that will pay the bills, and the top dog in the industry, the director, the master can ask anything of them. Making demands of someone who is desperate enough to do anything just to survive is honestly sickening.
Beyond the commentary about the theater industry, ultimately this play deals with the constant gaining and loss of power, sexuality, gender roles, and S&M. On my second go around reading the play, I noticed that Thomas finishes his final lines as the female character Dunayev. He took to reading these lines so effortlessly. This play slips into dealing with sexual duality and gender duality so often. Thomas is just as happy giving orders as he is taking them. And Vanda is such an amazing character. Snarky and unapologetic, refusing to back down when Thomas slips into his misogynistic little tirades. She has full control over every scene and is so unforgettable.
This play forces us to grapple with alternating displays of gender and sex, domination and submission, and the desire for power and the desire to take power away from someone else. It is absolutely alluring, sexy, humorous, and thoughtful. And I will definitely be reading it again to see what else I've missed.
In my quest to watch everything that Hugh Dancy has been in, I stumbled over this play. 2 hours later after coming across the sketchiest website to find a bootleg tape of the 2011 performance, I became obsessed. Dang this play was so good.
Based on The Bacchae and the 1870 novel Venus in Fur by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (Masoch? Masochism?), at face value the play seems like it'll be too on the nose. But then it becomes a striking commentary on the toxicity and abuse that actors face in the theater industry. Vanda's speech at the end about how Thomas is duping "some poor, willing, idiot actress and bending her to [his] program" to try and achieve the gratification he's ultimately looking for--*chef's kiss*. You don't really think about how actors (especially female artists) walk into auditions trying to get a job that will pay the bills, and the top dog in the industry, the director, the master can ask anything of them. Making demands of someone who is desperate enough to do anything just to survive is honestly sickening.
Beyond the commentary about the theater industry, ultimately this play deals with the constant gaining and loss of power, sexuality, gender roles, and S&M. On my second go around reading the play, I noticed that Thomas finishes his final lines as the female character Dunayev. He took to reading these lines so effortlessly. This play slips into dealing with sexual duality and gender duality so often. Thomas is just as happy giving orders as he is taking them. And Vanda is such an amazing character. Snarky and unapologetic, refusing to back down when Thomas slips into his misogynistic little tirades. She has full control over every scene and is so unforgettable.
This play forces us to grapple with alternating displays of gender and sex, domination and submission, and the desire for power and the desire to take power away from someone else. It is absolutely alluring, sexy, humorous, and thoughtful. And I will definitely be reading it again to see what else I've missed.
rosalindroe's review
dark
funny
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
alexeireads's review
finished reading on february 17, 2021.
this play had such good insights into how misogyny warps men’s perception of women that im still a little shocked that a man couldve written it. also it was really sexy. great play all around, i’d love to play vanda shes cool as fuck
this play had such good insights into how misogyny warps men’s perception of women that im still a little shocked that a man couldve written it. also it was really sexy. great play all around, i’d love to play vanda shes cool as fuck
rhiannonxgrace's review against another edition
dark
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I really love this play okay and I'm not sure what that says about me as a human being??? But it's just so brilliantly bonkers and kinda ridiculous and a lil cringe and that's what makes it so amazing. Also, you know, the west end production was a+ casting but this review is about the script itself and not how much I loved seeing the play. Also you know, a play about a play... instant win in my book. We Stan Vanda, okay. (Wow, this is clearly my finest review ever.... just read it, guys.) Might read the actual novel at some point.
HAIL APHRODITE
HAIL APHRODITE
jonathanwlodarski's review against another edition
5.0
Perhaps one of the cleverest things I've ever read, maybe even a play within a play within a play?? At least, the play is about a man who wrote a play based on a book. It's brilliant. I got nervous at first because it seemed that maybe Ives was going to spit up really obvious ideas about feminism and femininity, but I suspect he puts those in his characters' mouths with a wink because of the really interesting stuff he gives them to say later.
5/5
5/5
theannabaker's review
adventurous
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
wow, quite different - wasn’t expecting the end lol
“To love and be loved all what bless!
And yet there glows a greater joy:
The tournament of that woman’s kiss
Who makes us her slave, her footstool, her toy,
who renders me a cringing cur,
My goddess, my dictator, Venus in fur”
“No man is worthy of dominating a goddess.”
“Subjugate me.”
“Is it ‘symbolic coffee’?
“He’s auditioning her.”
“She’s auditioning him, too.”
“The joys of a more repressed age. When conversation itself was erotic.”
“When conversations was all they got.”
“Because playwrights do that shit all the time.”
“I’m stubborn and I’m willful and I’m greedy, and when I start something I finish it.”
“To love and be loved all what bless!
And yet there glows a greater joy:
The tournament of that woman’s kiss
Who makes us her slave, her footstool, her toy,
who renders me a cringing cur,
My goddess, my dictator, Venus in fur”
“No man is worthy of dominating a goddess.”
“Subjugate me.”
“Is it ‘symbolic coffee’?
“He’s auditioning her.”
“She’s auditioning him, too.”
“The joys of a more repressed age. When conversation itself was erotic.”
“When conversations was all they got.”
“Because playwrights do that shit all the time.”
“I’m stubborn and I’m willful and I’m greedy, and when I start something I finish it.”
catlove9's review
5.0
This play is amazing, the best I've ever read. I love seeing how the lines start to get blurred between actor, director, writer, and character. The witty banter between the two Vanda and Thomas is amazing. Everyone should read this, you'll love it.