Pornography 2015

Pornography

by simon stephens

DRAMATIC WORKS SERIES | VANCOUVER BC
PRODUCED BY STAR STAR THEATRE | SEPTEMBER 2015

From the excitement of the announcement of the 2012 London Olympic Games to the fear and confusion following the bombings of July 7, 2005, Pornography follows the private lives of eight people as they move inevitably towards a suicide bombing on the subway. The stories reveal complex lives in a society focused on objectification and fear.

Director Mika Laulainen’s spare, stylish production offers overlapping snapshots of Stephens’ eight disparate Londoners. [...] Standouts Melissa Oei, Vanessa Crouch, and Victor Hunter deliver emotionally grounded performances, and the ending is potent and affecting in its simplicity. Ambitious and provocative.
— Kathleen Oliver, The Georgia Straight – Fringe Fest 2015: Pornography is stylish, uncomfortable, provocative, and ambitious
…a testament to the success of the Mika Laulainen’s direction. This show makes you think. It’s almost like pornography for the critical part of your brain.
The set was delightfully inventive. The play felt like a vivd dream—drifting in and out of deeply emotional stories, connected by vague coincidences, while we stay conscious of our existence in the dream theatre. [...] This show is a must see for any Fringe journeys out to the Cultch for the solid quality of its acting and the unique script. I really hope this wins a Fringe award. It certainly deserves a medal for intrigue.
— Matthew Willis, PLANK Magazine: Pornography – Intriguing Script with Top Notch Performances
If you want to see a truly brave and controversial piece of theatre, go as soon as you can to Pornography. A brilliant cast without a weak link among them perform a surprising, shocking, relatable and heartbreaking script. Mika Laulainen has done her best work yet as a director and there are brutally honest performances from all the cast; including but not limited to Stephanie Elgersma and Matthew Bissett.
Really, I truly mean this, go see this play. If you want to be challenged and provoked by a piece of work that forces you to put your own humanity into perspective, then this is the Fringe show for you.
— -Kazz Leskard, Audience Review

Directed by Mika Laulainen
Stage Managed by Emma Hammond
Scenography by Jared Raschke
Costume Design by Anais West
Musical Compositions by Erik Gow

Performed by Matthew Bissett, Vanessa Crouch, Randi Edmundson, Stephanie Elgersma, Victor Hunter, Julie Leung, Victoria Lee Lyon, & Melissa Oei