The Goddess of Vesta was performed at the Drama Barn on Monday. This Open Drama Night (ODN) had been in production for 9 weeks. Then, shortly before the performance, there had to be a last minute substitution due to various issues meaning that the writer and co-director of the show, Morgan Goodfellow had to step up to the role. She managed remarkably well, given the circumstances, and ensured that the production went ahead smoothly.
With a small, all-female cast of four on-stage actors (and a couple of off stage voices), the small and intimate setting of the Barn provided the perfect space for the story to unfold.
The plot centres around three young girls, who, in a sort of dystopian world, find themselves up for becoming the next Goddess of Vesta, after the previous Goddess is killed. This is decided by the blessed-with-the-God’s-voices Priest (played by Goodfellow), whose comical exchanges with the three Goddess-elects led to many laughs within the audience.
With the girls scouted primarily on their looks to become ‘Goddess’, the play begins to explore some interesting themes that parallel all-to-real-world issues of female beauty standards and the association of self-worth with looks. Lidia Nowicka, who played the role of plastic-surgeried rich-girl mummy-issue-filled Elaine, had her own brand of humour, as well as character development. This was perfectly complemented by her relationship with fellow cast member Sophie Pounder playing Tullia, whose self-defacing humour and opening lines “Have you ever been so nervous all you can think about is that you need to do a poo?” quickly set the light-hearted tone of the play.
Milda (Ruby Scott), rounded the whole thing off by providing her own sarcastic humour and scepticism of the Goddess-pageantry race itself, probably helped too by the fact that her own sister had become the previous Goddess, who was then killed for no good reason, which is enough to make anyone think maybe Goddess of Vesta is not something to aspire to.
Resistance of accepted norms was at the heart of this story, and, whilst there could have been a few chunks of character asides chopped down and a little more embracement of darkness (particularly in the scene where the girls are being tormented by the voices of loved ones from afar off stage), this was an enjoyable night, evident by the looks on audience members’ faces.
Co-directed by Claire Forster, and produced by Joe Doody, The Goddess of Vesta really was an engaging and enjoyable night for all who attended.
Make your own play…
Open Drama Nights at the University of York are run by Drama Society, which give students an opportunity to get their own writing seen by an audience for the first time at 7:30pm on Monday nights, as well as weekend shows which run on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings.
Joining Drama Soc costs £6/academic year, and gives you the chance to meet and connect with other drama-lovers and make your own performances.