How well do you know your partner?

MAGGIE: When we met you watched Capra and Fellini. You never felt this passionately about their films. What’s so special about this kind of cinema?

JIM: It’s, well, a deconstructionist essay into contemporary feminist iconographic symbolism. The naked women are a reference to the post-feminist theorists, while the bikini-wearing prisoners represent the classic hard-line approach of Susan Sontag and Germaine Greer. Can you understand why I was watching it now?

MAGGIE: No, but I think I have a clearer idea why you spent a semester thrashing through that Sociology course at uni.
About the Script


Synopsis

You live with someone for years until that day you walk in the door and find Nude All-Stars on the Mango Planet of Love screening on your TV.

When Maggie comes home to find Jim ensconced with the latest porn video hit she is shocked, not merely by its explicit content but because her understanding of her relationship with Jim makes no allowances for his enjoyment of movies of this kind.

As Jim and Maggie discuss their relationship, gender politics and fruit, their individual world views shift quite radically. By Act 2 they have started living the political positions they have championed. In a hilarious climax, Act 3 reveals to us the true nature of radical fundamentalism of any sort.



Characters

Jim, male, aged early thirties.

Maggie, female, slightly older than Jim.



Duration

Ninety minutes, including interval(s).



Production History

Nude All Stars was selected for script development funding as part of Illawarra Performing Arts Centre's 'Merrigong' Theatre Development Funding Initiative. In September 2006 director and dramaturg Damien Millar spent time with actors Katrina Rautenburg and Paul Bevis on the play with the intention of refining the comedy and characters, as well as its narrative structure.



Comments

Belvoir St Theatre assessor: '...There are some interesting elements to this play which kept me reading. It is a curious mix of deep, intellectual issues and comic male-female scenarios, and gradually becomes more and more absurd and symbolic, and in this respect it keeps you on your toes. There are moments where you start to wonder about the inner lives of the characters, and what has driven these people to go such extremes. There are also recurring dialogic style elements which are appealing... The final few pages, where Jim puts himself on the line to rescue Maggie and we get the final image of the two brought together are also quite moving...'

Contact Me

If you want to read this play please go to OzScript.

Images



Damien Millar and Katrina Rautenburg after the public reading of 'Nude All Stars,' 20 September 2006.

Katrina Rautenburg during rehearsals for the public reading of 'Nude All Stars,' 20 September 2006.

Paul Bevis during rehearsals for the public reading of 'Nude All Stars,' 20 September 2006.

Katrina Rautenburg, Paul Bevis and Damien Millar (rear) during rehearsals for the public reading of 'Nude All Stars,' 20 September 2006.



Read the script

If you want to read the script please email me at simon@simonluckhurst.com.