At an early age, most people recognize that the asshole (and all its byproducts) has great comic potential. But playwright Jane Kansas elevates the exploration of the beloved poop shoot far above everyday toilet humour with The Asshole Monologues. In her charming, hysterical homage to The Vagina Monologues, she explores everything from the sexual, sensual side of the butthole to the importance of colorectal cancer screening. It’s hard to imagine a better cast than actors Hugo Dann, Mike McLeod and Vanessa Walton-Bone. Dann does a lovely turn as a fey, lisping ER nurse who rhymes off a list of incredible items that have been extracted from people’s back passages. McLeod is sweet and convincing as he rhapsodizes about his character’s first anal sex experience. But it’s Walton-Bone(r) who gives the show’s most memorable performance as the delightfully frank woman empowered by her strap-on. Don’t be an ass. Get your butt to this show.
To Dec 5, Plutonium Playhouse, 2315 Hunter Street, 8 pm (Sat Dec 4 at 3 pm and Sun Dec 5 at 3 pm) $20/$15, 423-4653
This article appears in Dec 2-8, 2010.
Is there any role Vanessa Walton-Bone can’t do?? Bravo!!!
Just to be clear, I mean this show charmed me with its out-and-out candor. It is NOT bring-your-grandma “charming”.
I think it’s terrible that wanna bes like Kansas can appropriate and dilute the Vagina Monologues by stealing Ensler’s title. It should be illegal. The Vagina Monologues is about ending Violence Against Women worldwide and in doing so, it breaks taboos about women and their relationship with their vaginas. Shame on Kansas. It’s not the first time she has ‘stolen’; as I recall, she was fired for plagairism. Maybe she’ll get sued and then she’ll be forced to actually come up with her own thing and not ruin someone else’s work and movement. Ensler is ORIGINAL. Kansas is NOT.