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Summerhall – Anatomy Lecture Theatre
Part performance art, part anatomy lesson and part cooking show, this inspirational piece is not for the faint-hearted. Summary
Rating
Excellent
The Slovenian name for labia is “shameful lips”, demonstrating how language is often a prime factor in shaping our interpretation of the world. In her raw, self-penned work ELOINA takes the concept of body positivity to its extreme, wanting to make a point that labia, with all their quirks, should never be considered shameful. The show takes place at Summerhall at the Anatomy Lecture Theatre (how suited!), after a sold out run at the Vault Festival in London and various cameos across the country.
With the majority of present-day labiaplasty (a surgical intervention to make the labia smaller or more symmetrical) being requested by young people for aesthetic purposes, this is a safe space for vulva owners to embrace their anatomy, and for those who live around them to understand the significance of respecting another person’s body. More importantly, this is a safe space for the artist to break the taboo around nudity, and we are grateful for her determination.
For the avoidance of doubt, this is a very graphic performance. To support her message, Eloina hangs two beef steaks from her labia, before cutting them in strips and sizzling them with a side of chimichurri. The list of trigger warnings goes on and on, for the safeguard of spectators and those involved in the show – Eloina’s mother being one of them. Both actually and metaphorically, the spotlight is on the vulva and the whole 60 minutes are about it. It is a searing lesson in empowerment and acceptance but might not be to everyone’s taste.
It also exposes the use in social media of digitally modified pictures that make labia look more regular, as well as TV programmes like Embarrassing Bodies or Naked Attraction, which foster detrimental self-consciousness whilst normalising negative judgement on physical appearance.
At one point, whilst we listen to recorded voices talking about labia, the performer stands up on the table. Holding a bunch of grapes in each hand, she scans through the audience with a defiant look, towering centre stage like an ancient deity. Her charisma is a gift to the artworld. Her boldness is what we really need in times of overbearing political correctness. Yes, some people might leave the auditorium a little unsettled but, to use her own words, “it’s time to celebrate the sh*t out of our vulvas”.
Written by: Eloina Haines
Directed by: Louise Orwin
Produced by: ELOINA
High Steaks played at EdFringe 2023. The show will be playing at New Diorama from 12 – 23 March 2024, further information and bookings here.
