Famous Lesbians Brought to Life in 'Botox Angels'

UPDATE: Due to the inability to obtain visas for the actors and crew of Dutch theater troupe Dood Pard has forced the cancellation of "Botox Angels," which was to be presented by La MaMa Experimental Theater Club from June 26 to 28 in its Ellen Stewart Theater, 66 East 4th Street, Manhattan.

From June 25-28, La MaMa invites you to the theater for Gay Pride Weekend when Dood Paard Theatre from Amsterdam presents the American premiere of "Botox Angels," a play for three bare-breasted clowns which offers fantastic jokes, crashing philosophies and bawdy confrontations about political lesbianism.

It's a play about militant female sexuality which is abundant in sultry dialogue, jealousy and emotional violence. Three clownish lesbian characters, named Swift, Cocky and Deedee, negotiate shifting power relationships, juggle dildos and fake breasts, play dress-up games and cross swords about men, breast reductions, philosophy versus banality and emotion versus rationality. Written by Rob de Graaf, translated into English by Paul Evans, it is performed by Ellen Goemans, Janneke Remmers and Manja Topper, all from Holland.

"Botox Angels" gets a unique style from the rough mind games among its three protagonists and a tactical/emotional directness that is characteristic of the Dutch. The title appropriates the name of a cosmetic surgery drug to suggest women's longing to inspire desire perpetually. The play opens with a three-way orgy in which Deedee, the outsider, complains to Cocky, the Queen Bee and Swift, the Wannabe, of being excluded.

The scene pivots into a mock interview in which their urges are intellectualized into thoughtful dialogues about social forces, giant emotions, philosophical constructs and feminism with a great big "F." Trenchant discussions on female sexuality bring us up front and personal with just about everything about these Botox Angels, who are very tough women, as is their comedy.

Along the way, the actresses re-enact some famous performances by feminist performers: "Semiotics of the Kitchen" by Martha Rosler, "Artist must be Beautiful" by Marina Abramovic and "Cut Piece" by Yoko Ono.

Dood Paard Theatre has appeared in NYC before at the Guggenheim, La MaMa and PS122. Its name, "Dead Horse," in Dutch, is lifted from a poem by the Dutch poet Gerrit Achterberg and embodies the double vision of the company itself: the darkness represented by death, in contrast with the bright vitality and life represented by a horse. Integral to its philosophy was a commitment to operate as a collective with no single voice of authority. More than two decades later, that idea still reigns with company decisions made through discussion among its members, which include actors, directors and technicians. The company regards the world from a critical stance, but one infected with good humor and an optimistic belief that man's intellect and creativity can transcend tragedy.

"Botox Angels" plays at 8 p.m. from June 25-28 in La MaMa's Ellen Stewart Theatre, 66 East 4th Street (2nd Floor).