The usual gang of Eve is back, with a most unusual look at a profession normally reserved for those in their more…youthful…years.
But Eve has taken it on. A play about prostitutes.
The Oldest Profession by Paula Vogel opened last weekend at The Henry Clay Theatre, a production that revolves around aging prostitutes who have been in The Business for decades and who now, as they age, struggle to find clientele who are both living and “up” for the challenge of their services.
The result is a group of women with no financial stability, few other marketable skills, and little else to count on—except each other. But as the world turns, so does the circle of life; and even the most dependable relationships cannot last forever, leaving less and less for Edna, Vera, Ursula and Lillian to rely on.
The ladies of Eve embody their characters well; throughout the production there are many twinklings of humor and double entendre; exactly what one would expect from a group of women who have spent their years in this particular line of work.
At other moments, the dialogue and energy drag; the production is chugging through a script that has yet to be fully mined for the gems within, and is one that could benefit from the pace and vibrancy seen in an early part of the production when the Madam Mae (Mary Ann Johnson) has a confrontation with a woman unfriendly to the group.
Kate Larken, an accomplished musician, deepens the experience of the play by grand levels with her onstage live soundtrack of guitar and vocals. She is the consummate scene partner when several other characters make their voyage to the retirement brothel in the sky—musical interludes that are well done and show the sharp contrast of the ladies’ lives ‘then and now,’ but are awkwardly transitioned. These uneven shifts seem to be not so much directional flaws as they are a weakness of the script.
The Oldest Profession, presented by Eve Theatre Company, continues through November 8 at the Henry Clay Theatre, 604 S. 3rd St. Tickets are $19/$22 and are available online or by calling 502.759.1912.
Eve Theatre Company has a full slate of other events to round out 2014, including performances at the Slant Culture Festival and at the Frazier History Museum.
- You Better Sit Down: Tales of My Parents’ Divorce, Nov. 15, 16 & 22 as part of the Slant Culture Festival.
- Rosemary and Time, Dec. 11, 14 & 18 a cabaret-style look at Rosemary Clooney’s songs and stories; part of the Frazier History Museum’s White Christmas exhibit.
Image: Courtesy of Eve Theatre Company
