Casting Call Woe

Round 1: that's the bit of the casting call where hundreds of actors go through time-wasting, often humiliating motions. So, to get the horrible bit out of the way, it's fair to say that as a piece of theatre (which is what this is billed as), Casting Call Woe is fairly ropey. On the face of it, the panel format is a nice choice, allowing for a number of voices, all of whom deliver their lines with beautiful incredulity. But the team over-dramatise it: Lichtenstein-style visuals and attempts to act out some of the 'scenes' serve only to slow down the pace. Creators Tiff Stevenson and the anonymous @ProResting (whose blog has inspired the show) clearly have a lovely, natural dynamic, but are doing their best effort to hide it behind a slightly contrived script.

Round 2: that's the bit where they're getting a bit closer to getting the prized part. So, we'll move past surface impressions and focus on the actual material. And, quite simply, it's jawdropping. Essentially a collection of anecdotes, descriptions and primary evidence, the team build an unarguable case that the whole setup of the casting industry serves to humiliate and discriminate against women. I could list examples—anyone want to audition for the part of a woman attractive enough to reasonably be of interest to a stalker?—but that'd spoil the surprise. What's interesting and incredible here is the collation and curation of a battery of examples. To have them read out, one after the other, is both hilarious and incredible.

Round 3: someone gets a lead part that's fulfilling, fairly paid, and doesn't involve simply being an object of the male gaze. This bit doesn't really happen often. And that's why the crappy presentation doesn't matter much. The material speaks, strongly and shamefully, for itself.