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Provocateur: ‘Venus in Fur’ and the Deep Exploration of a Rarely Looked Upon Theme

In an era where pop culture thrives on sex and eroticism to gain following, 'Venus in Fur' provides us with an opportunity to get deeper on something that we rarely think about as a society: an opportunity to better examine the nature and dynamics of power and control.

Let’s put this into context: last Thursday, the trailer of 50 Shades of Grey was released online. It was shared relentlessly in social media and made many fans swoon. The following day, the Cultural Center of the Philippines housed a show that somehow tackles a similar subject. To compare 50 Shades of Grey to Venus in Fur can be profoundly insulting, quite frankly. Because while the literary form and the cinematic adaptation of E.L. James’ story may be largely exploitative, Venus in Fur delves deeper into the concept of domination and submission — ultimately becoming an entertaining exposition and exploration of the different forms and layers of power relations. And in an era where pop culture thrives on sex and eroticism to gain following, Venus in Fur provides us with an opportunity to get deeper on something that we rarely think about as a society: an opportunity to better examine the nature and dynamics of power and control.

Written by David Ives in 2010, Venus in Fur is a clever spin/adaptation of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch’s infamous novella Venus in Furs. Instead of a straightforward adaptation of the literary opus that gave birth to the concept of sadomasochism, Ives turned it into a play-within-a-play, which gives it a wider leeway to explore various forms and layers of power and the varied tools used to acquire it.

It is not your usual sexual, erotic show. The flow of the material is smooth despite the rise and fall of tension in certain points of the play. It carries a rich mixture of sass, comedy, sexuality, intensity, and rage. As such, it requires delicate direction to successfully pull off. Serving the show’s director and technical supervisor, theater thespian Bart Guingona indeed carried a heavy load to make this show happen. Despite the overwhelming tasks he had at hand, he proves to be a compelling and moving force to effectively translate the production from paper to the actual stage.

But when the show begins, Guingona’s control dissolves as the success of the presentation then heavily relies on the actors’ performances.

Real-life couple David Bianco and Jennifer Blair-Bianco inject life to the story with flair. David plays playwright and first-time theater director Thomas Novachek, struggling to find the right actress to play the lead in his adaptation of Sacher-Masoch’s novel. In comes Jennifer as Vanda Jordan, a foul-mouthed, quasi passive-aggressive actress who pushes her way in to audition for the part. Novachek is reluctant at first; he has had a long day auditioning less-than capable actresses and he’s had enough. But Jordan lures him in ever so subtlety and playfully, turning the audition to a lengthy study and refinement of the material via a read through of Novachek’s adaptation. She has Novachek engaged; he even held off on a dinner with his fiancée. And as the story progresses, Jordan and Novachek’s dynamics as people and as theater professionals get blurred; and slowly, we find out that there’s more to Vanda Jordan than meets the eye. The audience joins Novachek in his puzzlement, wanting to find out who the actress is underneath the mystery that covers her.

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This makes the play such a tall order for the actors, and they didn’t disappoint. Jennifer’s performance both as Vanda Jordan and the character in Novachek’s script Wanda von Dunayev is remarkable. Exuding with charm and sensuality, she showcases a wide range of acting prowess from the foul-mouthed New Yorker, the playfully flirtatious actress vying for a role, the domineering and torn Wanda von Dunayev, to the intensely compelling character that unravels by the end of the show. David’s performance; on the other hand, shines best whenever his character is on the submissive stance. He is exasperated, confused, and even neurotic. The way he gave in and ultimately surrendered to the clutches of the aspiring actress is such an engaging moment to watch.

In theater, there seems to be this unquenchable thirst on stories about love, relationships, and survival. There is nothing wrong with that. After all, these themes seem to govern our real lives the most and quite frankly, there are still corners and depths within these topics that still need to be explored. Nevertheless, it is still refreshing to witness a production that takes on a philosophical discussion that veers away from the mainstream subjects mentioned above. This is why when the Actor’s Actors Inc. stages a new production under its The Necessary Theater series, it is quite impossible for this theater fan to not get excited. Actor’s Actors Inc.’s latest production, Venus in Fur, follows the essence of the group’s The Necessary Theater series. After elevating the discourse of art to a more esoteric level in Red and the exploring the history and depths of fashion vis-à-vis a compelling character study in Full Gallop, the company continues to gift the Filipino theater fans with productions that seek to engage its audience in a more intellectual level.

And at a time when mind-numbing and shallow pop culture materials gain so much ground, watching and supporting shows like Venus in Fur can be a small step towards taking control – a noble revolt against the insulting sensibilities of the popcorn mainstream media.

 

 

 

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