Presented by George Coates Performance Works at P.S. 122, 150 First Ave., NYC, Feb. 7-25.
George Coates Performance Works does admirable work on "Up Your Ass," the only play by Valerie Solanas, who shot Andy Warhol in 1968 after he mislaid what she thought to be her only copy of the play. But along with her legendary man-hating missive, "The S.C.U.M. Manifesto," "Up Your Ass" is the work of a woman looking down into the abyss and finding a home.
As opposed to a political activist using the theatre to make compelling, intelligent arguments, Solanas uses "Up Your Ass" to draw a series of skits repeatedly culminating in obnoxious one-liners about the awfulness of men. Her ultra-feminist view, however radical it might have been in 1968, is old news now. Indeed, "Up Your Ass" belongs in gender studies courses, not on stage.
This is regrettable because the cast—some playing women, some "drag kings" playing men—are generally excellent. Sara Moore, playing Bongi Perez, a tough-talking stand-in for Solanas herself, memorably captures the swagger of the playwright. Sharon Boggs, Allison Hennessy, Tina Marie Murray, Annie Larson, Chantel Lucier, Karen Ripley, Leanne Borghesi, and Eddy Falconer double-up and triple-up on a gallery of cartoon characters who all service Solanas' reverse-misogyny themes.
Under George Coates' direction, not only does the ensemble perform "Up Your Ass" exactly as written, but they also sing much of the dialogue karaoke-style, usually to '60s tunes. These glorious musical numbers pop up often and are contagious in their celebratory enthusiasm.
But with tongue-in-cheek scenery and lighting by Molly Alexander and costumes by Eve Chosak, the celebration is not for a great play rescued from obscurity. The celebration is for the fact that this production would probably have received far less attention if it had been produced in 1968. More than her play, her rabid philosophy, and an awareness of the disparity between the sexes, Solanas has left us with the freedom to challenge the status quo.