Word: womb
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...mother of the gods was pregnant for the last time, so the story goes, her other offspring-the moon, planets and stars-became so jealous that they plotted to kill her. At the very moment of matricide, the newly born war and sun god, Huitzilopochtli, leaped from the womb and avenged his mother by killing his murderous siblings. The victims of his rage included the beautiful Coyolxauhqui, who was cut into bits. That is why, according to Aztec legend, the moon starts off full each month, then gradually diminishes in size...
...WOMB OF ONE'S OWN is Harvard's first sampling of what its creators call "women's theater," i.e. works written, produced, and directed by women about women. As the pioneer of its genre in Harvard theater, the play poses important questions about the educational value of women's theater--and of political art in general. Should women's art simply nurture and celebrate a separate female culture, or must we demand of political art a statement about a specific issue...
...Womb of One's Own attempts to do both. The "evening of works by women" is divided into six skits, the last and best of which is a one-act play by feminist Myrna Lamb entitled, "What Have You Done for Me Lately?", while the others are short vignettes written by four Radcliffe undergraduates. "What Have You Done for Me Lately?" is political art at its best, for it entertains first and instructs second. Lamb's play opens in the recovery room of a hospital as the male patient (Gary Kowalski) awakens to the piercing stare of the female surgeon...
Some of the skits feature energetic performances. In "Sex Education," special mention goes to Robin Leidner, who plays Jane's womb, for her narrative of Jane's pregnancy and delivery as seen by a participant. In "Ms. America," Nancy Sinkoff shines in her portrayal of contestant Ms. Harvard, who answers the emcee's question, "What would you be if you grew up?" with "I would like to be president of I.B.M.... Any woman who is energetic, motivated, and intelligent is capable of getting a good job and rising quickly...
DIRECTOR DOWNEY conceived the idea for A Womb of One's Own last year when she read Lamb's play. The results should encourage future feminist productions to match the quality of substance and performance achieved by this cast in "What Have You Done for Me Lately?" for many other women's issues need to be confronted on the stage as well as in other media...