Mitch and Murray productions presents a modern take on feminism with Rapture, Blister, Burn. Written by Gina Gionfriddo, this play explores the eternal question: how green is the grass on the other side?
After her mother’s health scare, Catherine returns home to a life she had foregone in favour of a successful career. Encountering old friends and lovers, she sees the life including a husband and children as one she may have missed out on. The questions Catherine asks about life, as a modern woman, reflects the uncertainty modern women may have about the decision to be independent and self-sufficient.
This candid piece presents some of the most popular yet conflicting views that modern women hold about equal rights. While the writing is forthright, sincere and insightful, equal praise should be given to the actors in their portrayals, which ensure the dialogue does not come across as preachy or judgemental.
The interactions between the female characters are where the play really shines. The debates between them highlight the different eras of feminism in which they were raised, while respectfully outlining the potential pros and cons of certain beliefs. The dialogue finds a way to be both relatable and peppered with metaphor and references from the academic world.
The play does not try to lead the audience to a specific point of view. Much like the characters, we are introduced to many different options and are left to determine which point of view works best for us. The epiphanies the characters have at the end of the piece are more fulfilling as they came to it through their own critical thinking. While some of the dialogue threatens to run for too long, the show’s moments of humour help viewers to maintain interest in those moments.
Rapture, Blister, Burn may not be revolutionary in terms of its feminist views, but it brings up honest and necessary topics about the modern woman.
