Woman Caught Unaware is a modern tale if identity and the power of social media
By Katrina Turchin: BTR Writer and Has No Spiderman Tattoos
Being the subject of a humiliating photo on social media is never fun, especially when you’re naked. Woman Caught Unaware tells the story of a university professor named Mary who finds herself unknowingly in the background of a photo posted to social media by the wife of a colleague. In the photo, she is hunched over with her aged body on display for everyone to see. The photo is captioned #crone, #witch, #nevergetold.
The one-woman show thematically discusses how women are valued for their youth and villainized for their age. The 35-minute monologue switches between past and present as Mary (Davina Stewart) tells the story from the moment she finds out about the photo and recalls stories from her past.
There are many discussions on the “proper” way to deal with the aftermath of the photo, including a charity calendar and taking back your power, which raises the question of what is empowerment and at what point does it tamper with your dignity?
Stewart navigates the story beautifully and captures the tone of the character wholeheartedly. Her voice was made for the role and every sentence is engaging, intriguing, and detailed. The show is simple and allows Stewart’s voice to be the focal point, which she controls in a way that allows each word to tell the story and show the character’s emotion.
Woman Caught Unaware is a must-see show that describes the problem with society’s male gaze. Women’s bodies should be desired for not just their looks, but also for how strong they are. Every minute of Woman Caught Unaware is engaging and should be at the top of your list of shows to see before the Fringe ends.
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