Last week, CSUSM students performed Carly Churchill’s play “Vinegar Tom” directed by Judy Bauerlein and Shaun Heard.
“Vinegar Tom” opens with a young woman lounging and talking with her lover, who claims he is the devil. This dimly lit and brooding scene, filled with violence towards the young woman, immediately sets the tone for the night, undercutting every following scene with the women’s fear of being ‘caught’ in wickedness and therefore, being labeled as a witch.
Set in 1660s England, the play is complemented by period costumes and manner of speaking. However, “Vinegar Tom” is also set in 2024, because every woman in the play is blamed for something. Whether its misfortunes in their community or simply being human, “Vinegar Tom” creates a direct parallel to how women continue to be blamed for societal issues, particularly Muslim women, trans women, Haitian women, and all immigrant women.
The cunning woman, Ellen, played by CSUSM student Jay Scott says:
“It is never confirmed who is a witch or who is not a witch…It would take away from the main message of the show which is hatred against women for being [themselves].”
THEATER OF THE OPPRESSED and EPIC THEATER
Director Judy Bauerlein plays such as “Vinegar Tom” are a “way to allow people to see their oppression.”
She mentions Theater of the Oppressed, a style of theater coined by Brazilian theater practitioner Augusto Boal. This genre encourages audience members to reconsider their own realities and recognize what is happening to them from another perspective, so they will go out and actively change it.
In this play, Theater of the Oppressed interacts directly with another genre, Epic Theater, popularized by Bertolt Brecht. This style forces audience members to engage with the play differently than they would with a traditional production. For example, “Vinegar Tom” has many elements most plays do not; it includes songs that disrupt the tension and along with modern
dress, in addition to period-typical dress, on the actors. This is important so that “we remember the real people behind the characters,” says Director Bauerlein.
Character Spotlight: Betty
The character that stood out the most to me was Betty, played by CSUSM student Jewel Jones.
Her first scene is lively, then jarring; she tells her neighbors how she’s been locked away because she refuses to get married. A few scenes later, her arm is cut and bled by a doctor because of her ‘hysteria,’ or rather, her desire to be free and express herself. Her shriek of pain as she was cut struck me to my core.
Betty as a character and Jones’ portrayal of her was deeply moving. I could not help but see the other women’s sorrow reflected in Betty’s, but her constant rebellion was healing too, soothing the stinging words of her neighbors, the doctors, and the witch hunter. I suppose the reason Betty made me so emotional was how young she seemed to be; everything hurts more when you’re younger because you know less about the world and about hurt.
TO THE FUTURE
CSUSM’s “Vinegar Tom” serves as a springboard for all sorts of discussion about feminism, modern-day witch hunts, and scapegoating. Audience members were encouraged by Director Bauerlein to consider who the witches are in our own lives— those we blame for misfortune. Are we able to spot them in the media?
I hope to see more theater at CSUSM that challenges my perspectives.