Many excited men and women flooded into Lounge last weekend to see the Pint Size Productions performance of ‘The Vagina Monologues’, writes Natalie Sweeney. The play by Eve Ensler was first performed in 1996 and took the world by storm. The Vagina Monologues addresses some of the problems that women can face in all aspects of life. Problems such as body image, sexuality, violence and abuse to name a few examples.

I was not sure what to expect as I had never seen a performance of The Vagina Monologues before but as the audience of the earlier showing spilled out it was clear that it had been very enjoyable. “You’ll love it”, I was told by everybody who walked past me. The stage was set up effectively with two small platforms and a giant pink ‘V’ in the middle.

The directors, Laura Edison and Gordon McMurray did a fabulous job of piecing together five monologues which covered a wide variety of topics. The audience were made to laugh hysterically at the forwardness of the actors but could also see the seriousness in the topics that they were discussing.

The Vagina Monologues had a talented cast of five actors. First up was Melissa Hutcheson who stunned us all in her short monologue ‘The Hair Lover’. Second up was Karen Willey whose spot on American accent made us laugh and cry in her touching monologue ‘The Tsunami’. The third section was delivered by director and actor Laura Edison in her monologue ‘The Angry Bird’ in which she excellently portrayed a woman who was angry at society for repressing women. Fourth up was a twist to the story acted by David McGarvey. In his monologue ‘The Honorary Vagina’ he tells the story of a transgender woman who is bullied and treated differently because she was born a male. To finish the show was ‘The Moaner’ by Linda McMurray. Linda shocked the whole audience in her amazing performance portraying a woman’s experience in the sex industry.

The balance of laughter and shock in the performance was perfect. It illustrated the whole point of the play that women should be able to speak more openly about all their problems without society pushing them back. Comedy was used to entertain as well as emphasise the serious subjects that are rarely discussed in everyday life. The audience certainly left with mixed emotions, but nevertheless having enjoyed the performance thoroughly. The cast was diverse and were able to make the whole play relatable.

I know I speak on behalf of the whole audience to say that Largs is looking forward to the next Pint Size Production which will take place in November in Lounge. Laura and Lindsey Edison and busy preparing for the comedy sketch show. Tickets are available now.