When it was staged in 1927, an ad cautioned: “If you cannot stand excitement, see your doctor before visiting Mae West.”
Consider yourself warned when City Stage New West brings Mae West’s Sex to life at Anvil Centre as part of its Sips ’n’ Scripts reading series.
The series, dubbed Censored! Forbidden Classics of the Wicked Stage, allows audience members to take part in each play reading, alongside professional actors from City Stage. Each play was once banned, and all of the storylines deal with women’s sexual and financial agency.
This year’s series started in April with a reading of Aristophanes’ Lysistrata, featuring Bailey Soleil Creed in the title role.
Sex is up next, on Friday, June 14 at 7 p.m. The play, described as a “melodramatic conflagration of lust and wit,” landed Mae West in jail for obscenity and corruption – and launched her legendary, controversial career.
The reading is free, but seating is limited, so anyone who wants to attend must register by calling 604-527-4640 or sign up online at https://anvilcentre.com/events/sips-n-scripts-2019/
After a summer break, Sips ’n’ Scripts will return on Oct. 11 with George Bernard Shaw’s Mrs. Warren’s Profession. A family-friendly, all-ages edition on Dec. 19 will feature a reprise reading of Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol.
See www.citystagenewwest.org for all the details.
