OPENING NITE THEATRE PRESENTS 'AGE OF AROUSAL'

Opening Nite Theatre takes on Canadian Playwright Linda Griffith's bold, thought-provoking play, Age of Arousal for its next production.

It's a funny, moving, witty, sexy and lavishly entertaining play about five women struggling to find out who they really are and putting their beliefs to the test, against the harsh social and financial restraints of Victorian England. During this time, women were literally bursting out of their corsets and putting their lives on the line for the causes they believed in, including votes for women, rights for married women, improvement of the lives of the downtrodden, and gender equality.

The story is centered on a battle-savvy ex-suffragette, Mary Barfoot (Danielle Donovan) and her protege lover Rhoda Nunn (Camille Atebe), who run a school for female secretaries. Mary's goal is to arm women with work skills to support themselves financially. She imagines a world where women "might rage and cry, give birth, weep for a kitten, then oversee a transaction worth millions."

All runs smoothly until the school is invaded by three down-on-their-luck spinster sisters. They are the chaste but passionate Alice Madden (Kathy Yewell), the alcoholic, cross-dressing Virginia (Shannon Pedder) and the ravenously sexual youngest sister Monica (Maria Buganska). Alice and Virginia are wary of the frighteningly new clattering Remington typewriters and Monica is far too interested in her budding carnal appetites to make much progress. Enter Mary's thirty-something physician cousin Everard Barfoot (Tony Loyer) who throws yet another wrench into the feminist machine. Like the others, Everard is confused by what constitutes a "new woman." Despite his "striving to be a good and modern man", he manages to become romantically obsessed with two of the women, forcing them to question their ideals and curse their biology. 

An interesting twist to Age of Arousal is a device called "thoughtspeak", allowing the audience (but not the other characters) to hear each character's private thoughts, which often clash with what they're expected to say in polite society.

Director Norma Rushton is excited to be able to "step out of the box" and combine fantasy with realism in Age of Arousal's costumes, set and music. Playwright Griffiths describes her play as "highly theatrical" and not intended to be a strict period piece. Rushton says she used the iconic (and ironic) image of a wedding cake (symbol of marriage and security) for inspiration. She further states "the show is about women who fight to survive in a world where the odds are stacked against them, and they know that their chances of success are slim, but they move forward anyway." Backdrop music is used to bring this message of the past into the present, featuring recorded songs by strong female artists, like Pat Benatar, Sheryl Crow, Gwen Stefanie and Pink.

Age of Arousal contains very adult themes and sexually suggestive language. It is not recommended for children.
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The show runs April 26 to May 12 (Friday and Saturday at 8:00 pm with Sunday Matinees at 2:00 pm.) Thursday May 2 is 2 for 1 ticket sales. Tickets are $15 and are available at www.openingnitetheatre.com, [email protected], by calling 604-826-ONTS (6687) or at the door, 33223 Railway Avenue Mission (across from the WestCoast Express)

Opening Nite Theatre is also hosting a special Women's Wednesday Gala Performance of Age of Arousal, for Women only, on May 8. Ticket sales for this event are  only available online for $20 and include entrance to the show, an Opening Nite Theatre membership, one free beverage ticket, a chance to win a door prize, and an opportunity to shop for items from local vendors.