Gas Girls at Theatre Passe Muraille

I went to see a great play last week at Theatre Passe Muraille, it’s called Gas Girls, written by Donna-Michelle St Bernard. The story follows two gas girls, Lola (played by Nawa Nicole Simon) and Gigi (plaed by Dienye Waboso), who sell sex for gas, or as Gigi says “love for gas, gas for cash, cash for living, living for love.” They work at a truckstop on a Zimbabwean highway. I loved the depth and emotion of the characters, especially scenes of the older and experienced Gigi mentoring the very young Lola into the ways of selling sex. The relationships between the two workers, and also with Chickn, the man they work for and sell gas to (played by Jamie Robinson), were real and difficult, complex with love and desperation. These relationships were the most powerful part of the play, although I also loved the work of actor Peter Bailey, who played two different clients/johns, Mr. Man and Henry. I usually like any work about sex workers that shows clients as multi-dimensional people who are more than just sexual predators or perverts. (more…)

Edited: November 17th, 2009