Revenge Porn or The Story of a Body Review – How to Reclaim Your Life

Tina Huang and Nelson Lee in REVENGE PORN - Photo by Jeff Lorch
Spread the love

What would you do if your ex-husband posted intimate pictures of you on the internet and made sure that everyone you knew got copies? The question intrigued playwright Carla Ching, who was introduced to the problem after she read an interview with a woman who had faced just such an embarrassing and painful event. The issue for Ching was questioning whether this woman could get her life back: “It’s important to me that both halves of the title (REVENGE PORN OR THE STORY OF A BODY) be used when putting the play into the world, because I think half of it is (ex-husband) Mac’s perspective, and the other half is (ex-wife) Kat’s perspective. To her, it’s the story of her body. To him, it’s the story of what he did with that body.” The result of Ching’s exploration was REVENGE PORN OR THE STORY OF A BODY, which was developed in 2021 in the Ammo Writers’ Lab and makes it world premiere in 2022 at The Pico.

Roland Ruiz and Kahyun Kim – Photo by Jeff Lorch

Life seems pretty uneventful for middle-aged Kat Chan (Tina Huang) since her divorce from Mac (Nelson Lee), her husband of 22 years. She’s found a new beau, Elliot (Christopher Larkin) and is planning a little soiree for friends. The bombshell drops when a close friend calls to tell her that certain porno photos just showed up on the internet – pictures of her! Even her daughter Nice (Kahyun Kim) and her former mother-in-law Mia (Jeanne Sakata) don’t seem able to convince Mac to take the photos down. Embarrassed, upset, frustrated, and increasingly angry, Kat finally posts the name of her tormentor and ex-husband – with unexpected and violent results.

Jeanne Sakata and Tina Huang – Photo by Jeff Lorch

REVENGE PORN OR THE STORY OF A BODY is skillfully directed by Bernardo Cubria, who delves into the nuances which the situation poses, including Mac’s poorly and impulsively directed anger and ambiguity and Kat’s explosion of conflicting feelings, which eventually lead her to regaining her self-respect – and body. Given that the playwright is an Asian-American – and the cast includes four Asian Americans – the story also touches upon racial issues and community prejudices in a subtle but powerful way. The talented cast do an excellent job of developing their characters slowly from the outside into the core.

Amanda Knehans’ set is simple and flexible, permitting a change of scene simply by moving a few bits of furniture around. Azra King-Abadi’s lighting, Mischa Stanton’s sound, Yuki Izumihara’s projections, and Lou Cranch’s costumes suggest careful planning to advance the plot. And let’s not forget Ahmed Best’s fight choreography. The production is clearly a team effort – and shines with authenticity, timeliness, and skill. Director Cubria opines that “I think that REVENGE PORN is truly one of the best American plays in the last 10 years. It speaks directly to the Ammunition Theatre Company mission of supporting voices of color and conversations on all levels.” The play is definitely intense and thought-provoking. It should inspire lots of conversation, even after the curtain falls.

Christopher Larkin and Tina Huang – Photo by Jeff Lorch

REVENGE PORN OR THE STORY OF A BODY runs through October 9, 2022, with performances at 8 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Saturdays, and at 7 p.m. on Sundays. The Pico is located at 10508 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064. Tickets are $35 (with a 2 p.m. Saturday matinee on October 1 at Pay-What-You-Can. For information and reservations, go online.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*