Talia Fossum-Wernick’s The Lolita Apologies makes its debut at the Muse (Hill Street) and demands an apology from every man who has misused Vladimir Nabokov’s book Lolita – for every woman this misuse has harmed.
The play features Alex Keane and Jackie McKenna as the two performers (given their same names in the play) who conduct the session of amends-making. Keane, taking on the role of the wronged parties demanding apology – Dolores herself, the novel and what it stands for, and women across the world – is a deeply engaging performer. Her commitment to her role is staggering, her emotions are raw and ragged as she breaks down when her mission is not as cathartic as she had hoped. McKenna, as her scene-partner, effectively takes on the role of the men Alex wants apologies from (as well as speaking as himself between scenes), and together they make a formidable duo onstage.
As the play goes on and Alex breaks down, the show becomes tense and uncomfortable – as indeed it should. Her breakdown does come a little too quickly, but this is perhaps more to do with the short runtime rather than a flaw on the part of the actors. A longer runtime would have allowed more apologies to be demanded and refused (and more time for it to become clear that Jackie does not fully understand what it is Alex is trying to achieve – that Alex does not even fully understand it herself) before Alex reaches her breaking point. Nonetheless, her breakdown gives way to a rather poignant reflection on the nuances of intent versus impact and the extent to which an author is responsible for the misuse of their work. If we allow the author to die, after the fashion of Barthes, what does that mean for their texts? Alex’s personal stake in the desire for apologies also becomes clear at this point and adds a striking moment of clarity, as the reason why this play is so important becomes clear.
The Lolita Apologies is a raw and vulnerable examination of the ways in which a story intended to critique the sexualisation of young girls has been appropriated, abused, and used to abuse others. It is a worthy piece of theatre and would benefit greatly from a larger production with a longer runtime once its run at the Edinburgh Fringe has come to an end – I sincerely hope it is seen by the right people to make such a thing possible.
