“˜The Escort’ play aims to provoke discussion, shed light on role of sex in society
Gabriel Sunday (left) and Polly Draper portray the characters Mathew and Rhona, respectively, in the production of “The Escort.” The show, by Emmy Award-winning writer Jane Anderson, is playing at the Geffen Playhouse through May 8.
(Courtesy: Michael Lamont)
“The Escort”
Through May 8
Geffen Playhouse, $35
By Jennifer Nguyen
April 3, 2011 11:31 p.m.
Standing in nothing but robes and faux nudity suits with exaggerated body parts, the actors of “The Escort” bring sex to the forefront. This seemingly bold exposition is the subject of the Geffen Playhouse’s latest commission, which addresses the paradox of sexual pervasiveness and the simultaneous taboo of sex in society.
The play, which runs through May 8, is written by Emmy Award-winning playwright Jane Anderson and follows a high-class call girl named Charlotte. As she interacts with members of a seemingly liberal family, she causes them to question and push the boundaries of their own sexuality.
Anderson, who grew up during the sexual revolution of the ’70s, said she was inspired by her personal experiences in a culture in which sex was permissible and embraced.
Anderson said that she realized her view on sex was not as liberal as she thought, however, as she began to raise her son and guide him on his own path to sexual maturity.
“I realized that my tolerance for extreme sex started to wane because I saw my son trying to navigate his own way through all the bizarre sites and I had to stop him from using the Internet,” Anderson said. “I had to ask myself, “˜How do I teach my son boundaries without also teaching him shame?’ And that’s really to me what the play is about.”
Anderson said that she also wanted to create a play that focused on the different ways people deal with the subject of sex.
“Sex is very much like religion. There are extremists on both sides and both sides will make you feel ashamed,” Anderson said. “There are people who will make you feel ashamed for having any sexual thoughts and those who will make you feel ashamed because you don’t want to do certain things sexually.”
Anderson said that she wants the play to provoke healthy discussion about sex among audience members and cause them to rethink their own sexual beliefs, much like the play’s characters.
Gabriel Sunday, who plays both the role of a 13-year-old boy and a male prostitute, said that despite the explicit content, the show is heartfelt. According to Sunday, the characters are intelligent and relatable because of their natural dialogue.
“(The play) irks you and makes you uncomfortable and makes you shift in your seat and laugh hysterically because situations are just so awkward, funny and real,” Sunday said. “If anything, you’re going to walk out of this production and not be able to shake certain images out of your head … and one of those might be me and my mom laying in bed together.”
Anderson said she penned the script with a specific theater audience in mind, aiming to directly question middle-class professional liberals.
While the poster for the production does feature a picture of two blow-up dolls and the play’s dialogue is laced with colorful four-letter words, Anderson said the play is not distasteful.
“This is about sex, but ladies and gentlemen, it’s not going to be sleazy,” Anderson said.
Amy Levinson, the playhouse’s literary manager and dramaturge, worked with Anderson to develop a production for the Geffen that was accessible to audiences. Levinson said Anderson’s strength was her ability to present a controversial topic in a way that viewers can relate to and sympathize with.
“She picks an impossible topic to tackle and she finds the most accessible and palatable way to present it to the audience so that they never feel alienated,” Levinson said. “She’ll take them right to the edge, and bring them back through humor, heart and compassion.”
