Venus

Suzan-Lori Parks

• Publisher: Theatre Communications Group
• Year: 2012
• ISBN:
  9781559367387
• Topic: Literature
• Subtopic: American Drama
• Index: Literature

Suzan-Lori Parks continues her examination of black people in history and stage through the life of the so-called "Hottentot Venus," an African woman displayed semi-nude throughout Europe due to her extraordinary physiognomy; in particular, her enormous buttocks. She was befriended, bought and bedded by a doctor who advanced his scientific career through his anatomical measurements of her after her premature death.

Scene 1: Final Chorus

The Negro Resurrectionist

I regret to inform you that thuh Venus Hottentot iz dead.

All

Dead!

The Negro Resurrectionist

There wont be inny show tuhnite.

The Venus

Miss me Miss me Miss me

The Grade-School Chum

Exposure iz what killed her

nothin on in our cold weather.

The Negro Resurrectionist

23 days in uh row it rained.

The Baron Docteur

I say she died of drink.

The Negro Resurrectionist

It was the cold I think.

The Venus

Hear ye hear ye hear ye

thuh Venus Hottentot iz dead.

There wont be inny show tuhnite.

The Grade-School Chum

I know yr dissuhpointed.

I hate tuh let you down.

All

Gimmie gimmie back my buck!

The Venus

I come from miles and miles and miles and miles

All

Hotsey-Totsey!

The Negro Resurrectionist

Diggidy-diggidy-diggidy-diggidy.

All

Diggidy-diggidy-diggidy-dawg.

The Chorus of the 8 Human Wonders

Turn uhway

dont look

cover yr face

cover yr eyes.

All

Drum Drum Drum Drum.

Hur-ry Hur-ry Step in Step in.

(Rest)

Thuh Venus Hottentot iz dead.

The Venus

    Tail end of the tale for there must be uh end

    is that Venus, Black Goddess, was shameless, she sinned or

    else

completely unknowing thuh Godfearin ways, she stood

showing her ass off in her iron cage.

    When Death met Love Death deathd Love

    and left Love tuh rot

    au naturel end for thuh Miss Hottentot.

Loves soul, which was tidy, hides in heaven, yes, thats it

Loves corpse stands on show in museum. Please

visit.

All

Diggidy-diggidy-diggidy

Diggidy-diggidy-diggidy-dawg!

The Negro Resurrectionist

A Scene of Love:

The Venus

Kiss me Kiss me Kiss me Kiss

End of Play

A Glossary of Medical Terms

Annular ligament—a large muscle in the wrist

Atlas—the part of the spine that supports the head

Attolens and Attrahens Aurem—the muscles of the ear

Avoirdupois—personal weight

Axilla—the armpit

Calvarium—the skull lacking the lower jaw...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Dedication
• Production History
• The Roles
• List of Scenes
• Overture
• Scene 31: May I Present to You “The African Dancing Princess”/She’d Make a Splendid Freak
• Scene 30: She Looks Like She’s Fresh Off the Boat
• Scene 29: “For the Love of the Venus.” Act I, Scene 3
• Scene 28: Footnote #2
• Scene 27: Presenting the Mother-Showman and Her Great Chain of Being
• Scene 26: “For the Love of the Venus.” Act II, Scene 9
• Scene 25: Counting Down/Counting the Take
• Scene 24: “But None of the Spectators Ever Noticed/Her Face Was Streamed with Tears”
• Scene 23: “For the Love of the Venus.” Act II, Scene 10
• Scene 22: Counting the Take/The Deal That Was
• Scene 21: The Whirlwind Tour
• Scene 20A–J: The Venus Hottentot Before the Law
• Scene 19: A Scene of Love (?)
• Scene 18: She Always Was My Favorite Child
• Scene 17: You Look Like You Need a Vacation
• Scene 16: Intermission
• Scene 15: Counting Down
• Scene 14: In the Oribital Path of the Baron Docteur
• Scene 13: Footnote #7
• Scene 12: Love Iduhnt What/She Used to Be
• Scene 11: “For the Love of the Venus.” Act II, Scene 12
• Scene 10: Footnote #9
• Scene 9: Her Charming Hands/An Anatomical Columbus
• Scene 8: “For the Love of the Venus.” Act III, Scene 9
• Scene 7: She’ll Make a Splendid Corpse
• Scene 6: Some Years Later in Tübingen (Reprise)
• Scene 5: Who Is She to Me?
• Scene 4: “For the Love of the Venus” (conclusion)
• Scene 3: A Brief History of Chocolate
• Scene 2: The Venus Hottentot Tells the Story of Her Life
• Scene 1: Final Chorus
• A Glossary of Medical Terms
• About Suzan-Lori Parks