Rejoicing at her Wondrous Vulva The Young Woman Applauded Herself
By Bella Heesom
All About You
Venues: Ovalhouse
Date: May 9th – 25th 2019
(‘First Bite’ performances at Ovalhouse Feb 21st-23rd 2018)
Why would a confident, 21st century woman feel inadequate when talking to her partner about sex? Wondrous Vulva is an epic journey of self-discovery through the garden of her sexuality to find out. Featuring really helpful ideas planted during adolescence, such as: ‘Only Boys Masturbate’, ‘You Are A Sex Object’, and ‘Female Genitals are Gross’. This is a story of self-love, encompassing shame, pride, fury and liberation. Revealed is the hidden battle between Brain and Clitoris; Appetite and Ego; shame-free sensuality and the desperate need to be ‘normal’, which everyone will recognise, regardless of gender.
Combining storytelling, dance and comedy, Rejoicing at Her Wondrous Vulva The Young Woman Applauded Herself is as entertaining as it is searingly honest. Celebrate with us, laugh with us, reassess your own experiences and join a conversation that desperately needs to be had.
The ‘second half’ of the show was a conversation on the stage with audience, with drinks cushions and comfortable honesty.
Reviews
‘bold and poetic… exposes the insidious double standards of socially engineered female sexuality that requires women to guard their virginity but also give it up, when required… to be embarrassed to admit to masturbation but also to perform lust and readiness for men.
heesom peels away the layers of this conditioning to show what sexual authenticity lies beneath’
★★★★ The Guardian
“surrealism and comedy intertwine to produce a beguiling piece of theatre”
★★★★ The Daily Express
“Heesom and Alexander are wonderful to watch. They have an admirable chemistry”
★★★★ A Younger Theatre
“fizzes with comic chemistry… universally uplifting…. no matter who you are you’d have to have a heart of stone not to feel a rush of emotions at the show’s remarkable climactic scenes.”
★★★★ London City Nights
“will no doubt provide every viewer with a new perspective on the world”
★★★★★ Spy In The Stalls
“There’s bravery and daring in this piece. It takes courage to put this much questing vulnerability into a performance, but it pays off by resonating with, I imagine, every woman in its audience.”
★★★★★ Emily Jupp
“Like the sex education class you never had but always wanted”
Lyn Gardner
“Heesom and Alexander both give award-standard performances”
British Theatre Guide
OFFIE nomination: Sara Alexander – Best Female in a Supporting Role
Cast & Creative Team
Developed with Sara Alexander & Liz Ranken
Cast: Bella Heesom & Sara Alexander
Design: Liz Harper
Lighting: Jess Bernberg
Sound: Candice Weaver
Movement: Liz Ranken
Video and Production Management: Tim Kelly
Assistant Director: Martha Baldwin
Stage Manager: Maria Gurevich
Producer: Hannah Elsy