Venus in Fur

David Ives

• Publisher: Oberon Books
• Year: 2017
• Print ISBN:
  9781786823021
• Edition: 1
• eBook ISBN:
  9781786823038
• Topic: Social Sciences
• Subtopic: American Drama
• Index: Social Sciences

Enigmatic actress Vanda Jordan appears unannounced for an audition with director Thomas Novachek. She's determined to land the leading role in his new production – despite seeming wrong for the part. The director is weary of auditioning a string of other actors, but agrees to see her, and is drawn quickly in to her act. 

As Novachek reads the lines of the male character in his play - Venus in Furs by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, the Austrian author who gave his name to masochism - it becomes a play within a play. The audience is caught between what is 'real' and what is 'acted'.

Venus in Fur is an intoxicating dark comedy of desire, fantasy and the innate love of fur. An exploration of gender roles and sexuality, in which desire twists and turns in on itself, Venus in Fur is also a witty, unsettling look at the art of acting-onstage and off.

Venus in Fur has been produced all over America and all over the world, and was turned into a film by Roman Polanski that premiered in Cgender annes in 2013.

(A clash of thunder and a burst of lightning reveal THOMAS in a bare rented studio. End of an afternoon. A few old metal chairs. A table with a clip-on lamp and a stack of headshots. A ratty prop divan. A metal stand with a coffee-maker and some paper cups. In the middle of the room, an iron pipe disappears into the ceiling. A fuse box hangs on a wall.)

THOMAS: (Pacing, into his cellphone.) No. No. Nothing. Nobody. It’s maddening, it’s a plot. There are no women like this. No young women, or young-ish women. No beautiful-slash-sexy women. No sexy-slash-articulate young women with some classical training and a particle of brain in their skulls. Is that so much to ask? An actress who can actually pronounce the word ‘degradation’ without a tutor?

(A roll of thunder.)

Honey – Honey, in the book Vanda is twenty-four, for God’s sake. Back in those days a woman of twenty-four would’ve been married. She’d have five kids and tuberculosis. She’d be a woman. Most women who are twenty-four these days sound like six-year-olds on helium. ‘And I was all like whatever and he was all like, y’know, and I go like whatever and he’s like all, y’know?’ No, I don’t know, I don’t know anything except that I saw thirty-five incompetent actresses today, and even the ones pushing retirement didn’t have the stuff. Anybody who does is either shooting a series or she isn’t gonna do this for a nickel a week. And the stupidity. They bring along props, whole sacks full of costumes. And whatever happened to femininity? Bring along some of that, please. Young women can’t even play feminine these days. Half are dressed like hookers, half like dykes. I’d be a better Vanda than most of these girls, all I’d have to do is put on a dress and a pair of nylons. Well, our Vanda’s got to be out there somewhere. But at this point…

(Thunder and lightning. The lights in the room flicker.)

Hello? Hello? Honey? Honey, are you there?

VANDA: (O.S.) Knock knock knock!

(VANDA enters, in steep high heels, wearing a soaked coat. She carries an enormous bag, a purse, and a battered black umbrella.)

VANDA: Am I too late? I’m too late, right? Fuck. Fuck!

THOMAS: If you’re here for Venus in Fur, everybody went home half an hour ago.

VANDA: God, I’m sorry, I am so, so sorry, I got caught like way uptown and my cell went out. Then my fucking heel gets stuck in one of those sewer-cover-thing-whatevers. Then there’s this guy on the train, I don’t even want to tell you about him, rubbing up against my ass the whole trip. Then it starts to pour. I get soaked through to the fucking skin. Fuck! Fuck!

(She throws herself into a chair.)

God. Just my luck. Fuck… FUCK!

THOMAS: Can I run out and refill any prescriptions for you?

VANDA: I’m okay. Just my usual luck is all. Thank you, God, once again! Hi. I’m sorry. Vanda Jordan.

THOMAS: Vanda…?

VANDA: See what I mean? I’ve even got her name! How many girls in this town are named Vanda? Actually I’m Wanda but my parents called me Vanda. Anyway, I’m like perfect for the part and the fucking train gets stuck in a tunnel while this guy’s trying to penetrate me. Talk about fate. And you are?

THOMAS: Thomas Novachek.

VANDA: Hi. Hey, wait a minute. Thomas Novachek? You wrote this!

THOMAS: Yes, I did. Well, I adapted it.

VANDA: And you’re directing it, too, right?

THOMAS: Within an inch of its life.

VANDA: God, I love your plays! I mean, the ones I know. Anatomy of Shadows? Like, wow. Anatomy of Shadows was amazing! I saw it twice!

THOMAS: I didn’t write Anatomy of Shadows.

VANDA: Right, right. I mean, you know, the other one. God, this is embarrassing. Anyway, this play is sure amazing. I mean, the parts of it I read. Pretty wild stuff.

(She takes off the coat, revealing a studded patent-leather top, a short black leather skirt, and a silver-studded dog-collar.)

Really sexy, huh. Or like, erotic, if you’re into humiliation. Oh, by the way, I don’t usually walk around in leather lingerie and a dog collar. Usually I’m really demure and shit. Just thought I’d kinda get into the part. I mean it’s basically S&M, right? The play?

THOMAS: Not exactly. And it does take place in 1870.

VANDA: Mm. I guess this isn’t too 1870, huh.

THOMAS: No.

VANDA: Who knows, maybe S&M-ers dressed just like this back then.

(She digs a battered, crushed photo out of her purse.)

Anyway, here’s my headshot. I know the resumé’s kinda skimpy. But I’m good. I’m like made for this part, I swear to God. I was amazing as Hedda Gabler.

THOMAS: (Looking over her resumé.) The Urinal Theatre. I somehow missed their season…You had an appointment?

VANDA: Yeah, two-fifteen. It’s like hours ago, right? Well, better late than whatever.

THOMAS: (Checks the day’s appointment sheets.) Vanda…?

VANDA: …Jorda...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-title Page
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Dedication
• Chapters