One long and hard look at the mirror is all it takes for today’s women to flog themselves unnecessarily with self-deprecating messages of disgust and discontent – all because of an extra pinch of flab, a few stubborn wrinkles or some other tell-tale signs of "wear and tear."
But are such fears unfounded? Without their knowing it, most women would even refuse to admit that they’ve been brainwashed by the subtle seduction of mass media. Vogue, Cosmopolitan and the rest of the so-called prophets of glam continue to perpetuate the "thin is in" myth – driving women to near-obsessive fits of insecurity and paranoia as they succumb to the notion that they simply "don’t look good enough."
Who indeed draws the line between vanity and sanity? If women know better, perhaps Eve knows best.
After the phenomenal global success of her revolutionary stage masterpiece, The Vagina Monologues, author and playwright Eve Ensler makes a fitting follow-up as she strikes yet another responsive chord among today’s women with her new, equally-provocative play, The Good Body, to premiere on Nov. 10 and 11 at the Music Museum.
Produced by The New Voice Company, The Good Body boasts of a cast comprised of Manila’s finest stage performers, including Pinky Amador, Monique Wilson and Juno Henares.
Pinky is ecstatic about her participation in Ensler’s new piece.
"I’m playing the role of Eve Ensler, the writer," Pinky explains. "She acts as a narrator and at the same time brings the audience through her own personal journey of acceptance of her own body."
"The play was offered to me by New Voice Company’s head, Monique Wilson, last May. I finally got the go-signal in July and they (together with director Rito Asilo) cast me in the role of Eve," she adds.
But how does The Good Body compare to The Vagina Monologues? Are there parallels between the two? Pinky elaborates, "It’s similar in the way that there are also three actresses essaying different roles, but in this case, the main character is Eve, the writer herself, and in this play, she makes a connection between her own personal journey with her "body" issues and at the same time "introduces" the upcoming characters and their monologues. It’s similar to The Vagina Monologues in the sense that there’s ensemble or chorus playing in some monologues, but different because the interaction is more conventional like a straight play. Also, we won’t be using cue cards just like we did with The Vagina Monologues."
It’s a wacky, roller-coaster ride that tackles topics like botox, bulimia and breast implants. It also dissects the origins of erroneous feminine myths.
"Funnily enough," adds the actress who’s managed by ALV Talent Circuit, "in the play, some of the blame falls on women themselves who control published media (Helen Gurley-Brown of Cosmopolitan Magazine gives her own monologue) and it can be traced from childhood where their parents or mothers did not give them a good foundation of self-esteem. It’s precisely the possibility of being thin that keeps women buying such magazines and embarks on a never-ending journey to youth and perfection."
Though light-hearted and comic, the play’s underlying message should drive home a thought-provoking truth among today’s women. "They are very serious issues indeed," Pinky intones, "considering the extent some women will go to, to achieve their level of bodily perfection. It means acceptance for most, and if it is severely warped (as is most often the case), the possibility of having a healthy view of self and being comfortable in your own skin is very slim. In today’s youth-and perfection-obsessed world, majority of women are made to feel left out, insecure and simply not good enough."
So, how does Pinky define the good body? "A good body is one that is healthy and balanced both physically and spiritually (or psychologically) – nourishing the body and soul as opposed to abusing or destroying it," she concludes.