Pleasureville
"A breath of fresh air... There is something in Pleasureville for everyone."
The Coast Halifax
Pleasureville
by Ellen Denny
Contemporary Comedy
2 Female / 1 Non-Binary
2 Acts
(90 mins + intermission)
ROSE
I saw the sign, I thought jewellery. There were those bright coloured beads in the window and...
(eyes leather whip)
That’s not for cattle, is it?
Synopsis
What’s a city gal to do when she gets dumped, reno-victed, and has zero job prospects? Move to a small town and open a sex shop! Leah Bowman may have more experience writing emojis than a business plan, but she's on a mission: to destigmatize female pleasure... The problem? Her only customer is a local granny named Rose, who talks her way into a job. Bankruptcy looming, Leah organizes the town’s first Women’s March. Orders for hand knit pussy hats pour in! But Leah's bestie Ash has their own take on feminism’s hottest accessory, and its exclusion of the trans and non-binary experience. Has Leah lost sight of her ideals with her first taste of success?
This warm comedy invites us to discover our biases, as its characters learn to claim their power and their pleasure.
Reviews
“Critical subject matter with a laugh a minute”
The Buzz PEI
“A crowd-pleasing, heart-warming play”
The Coast Halifax
“You instantly want to cheer”
Halifax Presents
Production History
Pleasureville premiered at Neptune Theatre in Halifax, NS in October 2019. It was directed by Annie Valentina, with set by Wes Babcock, costumes by Andrea Richie, lights by Vicky Williams, and sound by June Zinck.
Original Cast:
Julia Topple as LEAH
Breton Lalama as ASH
Sherry Smith as ROSE
Pleasureville was subsequently produced by The Guild in Charlottetown, PEI in 2021. Public readings have been produced by Bad Dog Theatre (Toronto, ON) and Globus Theatre (Bobcaygeon, ON).
Photography by Stoo Metz
