Description
My first piece of music-theatre. It was first performed on 24th/ 25th November 2006, at The University of Sheffield Drama Studio. Brian Jackson played the lead role.
'The Rape of the Lock' is a wry adaptation of the 18th Century mock-epic poem by Alexander Pope, in which a young maiden has a lock of hair cut off by a man at a party. This 'rape' (theft) leaves the maiden feeling bereft of her dignity and, symbolically, her honour. In this adaptation, I have replaced the lock of hair with a prized wig, and explored the idea of the wig as a symbol of femininity. The central character is played by a male actor, confused and excited by his desire to dress as a woman, and haunted by his conscience (a guardian nymph called Ariel). His masculinity struggles to be acknowledged and, as the piece progresses, a battle develops between his feminine desires and his frustration at failing to overcome them. The outcome leaves him bereft, not of his honour but, perhaps, of his dignity.
Duration approx. 30’
