The Cult of the Clitoris
London, 1918. The Great War is raging - and so is the trial of the century. Is a Canadian dancer guilty of treason, lesbianism, and treasonous lesbianism? Is Germany masterminding a sinister homosexual plot? And what exactly IS an orgasm? A scandalous true story of enmity, espionage, and eroticism.
Order In The Court…of Hilarity
If I have to join a cult in order to see this show again, I would!
Walking into the venue, having no clue about what the show would be about, I was shocked because of how hilarious, informative, and entertaining this show was. It was like watching a parody or a reimagined version of Pemberton Billing’s trial that happened way back. An applause to the actors for their consistent use of accent and amazing diction throughout the entire play. Moreover, it is also commendable that they had the audience participate in “boo” -ing and cheering during the right moments—I felt like I was at the actual trial!
As someone who has never been to a trial before, this play has definitely given me the feel of watching one in real life. If you’re ready to “boo,” cheer, and clap, definitely come and see this show as it runs until August 24th at Venue 21: The Sanctuary Stage.
"The Cult of the Clitoris steps up to the drama, the absurdities, and the dark comedy, of a preposterous miscarriage of justice — by mining the actual transcripts from the head-line grabber celebrity trial that rocked London in 1918...." Check out the full 12thnight review!
This show was fun and educational. I really enjoyed the message and learning about this history. Very strong cast with great commitment to their characters; funny and powerful. The plot summary does not mention the connection to Oscar Wilde, if you're a fan of his work or his story this is a must-watch. A couple drawbacks from an otherwise amazing show: 1) I felt the start was a bit uneven and confusing, it took a bit to find its footing. Once they got to the core narrative it was easy to get into, I wish they had started there. 2) This cast deserves to have mics. The acoustics in this venue are not great and the old pews are loud and creaky when people move. There was a short part with music where I couldn't really hear the actors and only got the gist of what was going on. Make sure to get a spot closer to the front if you have any hearing issues.
All top notch actors. So wonderful to see a real life newspaper article turned into a play. Character acting and voice projection was superb!
Tastfully involved audience interaction in certain parts.
Polished, exceptional comedic timing. Impeccable costumes. The attention to detail. 🤌🏾 The way they encouraged the audience to be a part of it. I wasn’t a passive audience member. I was a part of the unfurling plot.
Co-directed by my friend Tegan. Take a bow, sweetie. You’ve more than earned it.
I can confidently say this was one of the absolute best plays I have seen and will see at the Fringe Festival, and this has only been the first one I have seen this season. I wanted to bawl at a couple points but had to keep it together. Tremendously moving.
An absolutely scathing indictment of our history, and what we observe unfolding in our present. As for our future? I guess that part is up to us.