These Girls do it

By Laura Glick

Girls think about sex. Girls want sex. They even have sex and enjoy it too.

Playwrights rarely explore the topic of sexually aggressive, young females since it strikes at the core of many tabboos and traditional notions of women.

"There are very few plays that address women’s sexuality, especially women’s conniving aggressive sexuality," says Ken Cameron, Assistant Director with One Yellow Rabbit.

The often-controversial company’s latest production These Girls, directed by Blake Brooker, does the exact opposite. Peering into the lives of three teenage girls, These Girls candidly analyzes sexual desire, peer pressure, adolescence and manipulation. Audiences are privy to a glimpse of the sordid tale of a group of young women who actively seduce the married heartthrob.

"I wonder if it’s a coming of age story or a coming of sex story," muses Cameron as he ponders the script, written by Montreal playwright Vivienne Laxdal.

"It’s oddly written like a man in the sense that it has got really quick snappy rhythms and it deals with sexuality in an aggressive fashion," he continues. "It moves itself along very quick, a real narrative style, which is unusual for a woman-centered play. You never find female characters that are written this well and this true."

The brash honesty may have been what kept the play on the shelves for two years as companies were apprehensive about tackling such a sensitive and potentially volatile script.

"It deals with a scary subject. It deals with a subject that your audience may not like," Cameron says matter-of-factly. "It’s very true to life. It’s funny in a poignant way."

Showcasing young guest actors, These Girls is a new venture for the company and appears to be a worthwhile one.

These Girls will be performed Tues. through Sat. with Sun. matinees. For complete listings, call 264-3224.