Showing @ King’s Theatre, Edinburgh until Sat 17 Nov only
Eve Ensler’s The Vagina Monologues is famous for its plain-spoken discussion of all aspects of female sexuality, covering taboos from rape to sexual orientation through a series of soliloquies delivered as if from their original speakers.
The speeches themselves are derived from surveys and interviews with 200 women and each performance gives a donation from ticket sales to the charity V-day, which helps vulnerable women around the world. Through the addresses we are given a modern take on female sexuality, with provocative material and graphic, open chattiness.
It’s a pity therefore that this opportunity to promote such frank discussion is weighed down by its heavy-handed theatricality. That being said, the three actresses tackling the script are undeniably charismatic, skilled and crowd-pleasing performers. Vicky Entwistle is the fire-cracker of the three, with heaps of chutzpah and vivacity. Hayley Tamaddon is warm and engaging, while Clare Buckfield is aptly delicate in her handling of the darker lines.
However, the edit of the works seems questionable at times; many monologues drag on in vagueness, diluting their powerful message and slackening the pace of an otherwise slick, energised evening. There are issues with accents, including several noticeable slips. After the initial novelty wears off, a grating, repetitive delivery reveals itself, lacking variety. We’re shown one colour throughout all the myriad of stories offered by the production; with a superfluous set for such confessionary material. The show is a sell-out, no doubt in part to its illustrious cast and the play’s notorious reputation. However, it fails to deliver its healthier message to the audience, providing more titillation and cheap thrills rather than completely exploring such an interesting and loaded topic.