A Kinky Comedy
Young actress Vanda wants to land the lead in Venus in Fur, a new play based on the infamous novel that inspired the term “masochism.” During her charged audition for Thomas, the demanding writer-director, the role-playing turns into an erotically charged game, shifting the power dynamics and blurring the line between fantasy and reality. Quick-witted and seductive, this acclaimed comedy was the hit of last year’s Broadway season.
“Many of us spend a lot of time thinking about sex. Safe to say, this play is not going to detract from that. And, most likely, it’ll make you laugh as well,” said David Mackay, Venus in Fur’s director. “However, audiences might also think about gender, power, and desire. David Ives’s play provides an insightful exploration of the history of sexuality, of traditional power struggles, of the hierarchies at the core of modern theatre, and of taboo desires—asking ultimately how much of our lives may actually be ‘a little S&M’?”
The play is based on Leopold von Sacher-Masoch’s 1870 novel Venus in Furs, which was decried as absolutely scandalous during its time. The sexual adventures of the book’s protagonists form the basis of what has since come to be called “masochism”—after the author’s last name. The stage adaptation goes farther than turning the novel into a play. David Ives has modernized the setting and crafted a play-within-a-play scenario. In 2011—2012, Venus in Fur was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Play, and won newcomer Nina Arianda the Tony Award for Best Actress.
This show contains mature content.
Running time: Approx. 90 minutes, with no intermission
