Real students. Real stories. Real good show.
On Feb. 10 and 12, Una sponsored The SLU Monologues, a collection of stories from students, faculty, staff and alumni. The topics of the monologues included abuse, abortion, homosexuality, female oppression and relationships of all sorts.
“Not every perspective was one I agreed with,” sophomore Anne Crabtree said. “But I thought everyone did a stellar job.”
The SLU Monologues, performed by a collection of students and faculty, covered topics that gave some students a new perspective on certain issues.
“Such topics should be talked about,” freshman Adam Noel said. “I liked the feminist pieces, even though I’m not much of a feminist.”
Both Noel and Crabtree said that “Apples” was one of their favorite monologues.
Written by senior Emily Bland and performed by freshman Carrie Scherr, “Apples” challenged abstinence-only education and Scherr’s use of props made her performance one of the most memorable of the night.
Like any great speech from a great speaker, the mistakes didn’t detract from the overall message and impact. The use of the cue cards was a distraction in some performances. Some performers could have been louder. The transitions between monologues could have been smoother, as some started during the rustle of programs, making them hard to hear at the onset.
Nonetheless, the show went on for three and a half hours to an almost full house, with few walkouts. Despite the fact that the audience was told that this was a two and a half hour show, people stayed to listen, and people stayed to discuss the issues presented afterward.
TC Parsons, a SLU alumnus, performed the monologue “Holding Hands,” and said that he was “honored to perform,” and that some of the cast was “hassled at their dorms.”
“But that’s what happens when you speak the truth,” he said.
These monologues were real and made real by each and every performer. The performers spoke the truth, and they, along with Una, should be commended for presenting the truth in this public, civilized and artistic forum.
At the performance, it was announced that the planners intend to do this again next year. Here’s hoping. It would be a shame if they didn’t.
