Arts:Blog

Theatre Review: Poke

Lorna Irvine reviews this 'vital' production.

Some stains can never be removed--for anyone who has been subjected to violence, particularly sexual violence and rape, a permanent staining of the soul is left. Writer/director/designer Amanda Monfrooe's provocative and timely new show for Behaviour examines the psychic and physical impact of such violence.

In a not-too-distant future, in a not-so-mythical land, rape by men controls the female populace, keeping them as enemies, separate entities. This is defined as 'the great madness'. Women are dying out and the two survivors left (Claire Willoughby and Lesley Asare--both fantastic) have to work together to start again with a baby girl on the way: how to rebuild and protect the child?

DIY props are fantastically used when the graphic depiction of rape gets too much; to reveal them all would be to spoil the shocks of the narrative, but suffice to say Madonna's head tacked onto the new baby and a talking penis puppet are jaw-dropping moments--humour doesn't get any darker than in this world. Ominous theatrical tropes are punctured, particularly with drenching the women's voices in reverb, but the cyclical dialogue remains pin-sharp.

Throwaway ideas therefore happily co-exist with dense socio-political notions. Monfrooe is smart enough to flip the 21st century dichotomy of feminism--one woman argues for flaunting the body as 'owning it' while the other regards modesty as a form of self-respect.This uneasy dynamic causes tension. Victim culture is explored, as is the unpleasant political method of social control, making some women invisible by turning them into a shapeless, formless mass. Beyonce and Kelis' shallow anthems of supposed 'empowerment' pump out at ear-splitting volume and baby girl's toys are manipulated into disturbing shapes.

Not comfortable viewing then, and nor should it be. There are no easy antidotes to misogyny and a brutal show like this won't be for everyone, but Monfroee is one of the most important voices in theatre today: inventive, intuitive and aware. Camille Paglia can kiss it--Amanda Monfroee is the real deal, and Poke is vital.

Photo credit: Niall Walker