The PumpHouse Theatre Presents THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES

Twelve women from diverse backgrounds share the PumpHouse Theatre stage in early December as part of a new professional production of The Vagina Monologues by Eve Ensler.

Initially planned as a play that was safe to rehearse and perform with social distancing, The Vagina Monologues has morphed into a full ensemble production with the full cast onstage throughout the show, supporting one another and representing how each monologue reflects a universal experience.

The stories explore issues of reproduction, vaginal care, consensual and non-consensual sexual experiences, body image, genital mutilation, menstrual periods, sex work, and everything in-between. All of the monologues are based on interviews undertaken by the author in the mid 90's.

For Forrest Hill actor Jade Du Preez, the script and subject matter were intimidating to start with.

"I was going to skip the audition, but one of my fellow performers posed it as a challenge. I can't back down from a challenge. It also looked like it was going to be a fun working with an all-female cast." explains Du Preez.

"It has made me reflect on the need to get over worrying about saying something inappropriate; thinking about who decides what is appropriate in the first place and whether those decisions serve women and girls."

The play is directed by actor and director Meg Andrews who describes it as a "bucket-list" play that she's always wanted to tackle.

"There is so much fear around talking about vaginas. I wanted to direct this play to educate and inspire, empower and entertain," explains Meg.

"And working with the cast I've discovered that it takes a lot to make me feel uncomfortable or embarrassed!"

The Vagina Monologues runs from Wed 2nd December to Sunday 6th December at The PumpHouse Theatre in Takapuna.

Tickets are available online at www.pumphouse.co.nz