The Independent: I thought this is virtually impossible. So yes, I’ll do it,” says Ruth Wilson with a laugh and a wide smile. She is talking about her new role in The Human Voice, which opens at the Harold Pinter Theatre on 22 March. But she might as well be offering a mission statement for her entire career.
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Sex is part of human nature. It is the means through which we procreate. And it is seemingly a pleasurable experience. Portraying sex on stage (and/or screen) is thus to all intents and purposes an easy task. Nevertheless, as with most things in theatre, it is easier said than done. At least done right. Emphasizing the importance of intimacy coordinator’s Ruth Wilson payslip service to the work of Ita O'Brien who helped choreograph each scene in advance. Understandably, Ita O’Brein’s work focuses on the matter of comfort and comfortability. And they don’t mean the scene feeling comfortable, for that might not be what the director is asking, but actors should feel comfortable doing the uncomfortable choreographed movement. When speaking about it Wilson addresses the idea of choreography allowing space for actors to be “more explicit and interesting, natural, real, and honest,” in general making the space safe for the expression of emotions.
I think this interview and overview of Wilson’s career shows how backwards this industry is in terms of creating complex female characters beyond stereotypes, and how most of her career has been an attempt to deconstruct this notion. Firstly, I greatly appreciate the way she discusses and approaches sex and intimacy on both stage and screen. She championed empowering actors to revoke their consent when intimacy pushed past their boundaries. Creating these safe environments where intimacy is very explicitly negotiated and choreographed actually creates intimate scenes that feel more real and emotional rather than just having sex for a plot line, which then objectifies women even further as sex objects instead as emotional partners in intimacy. I also thought it was very interesting to hear how America and Britain treat older women differently in performance than in Europe, with Europe actually valuing women as performers and characters past 40. While I had known this was a major issue, I really thought it extended into all of Europe instead of predominantly being an American/British issue. Very interesting article!
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