Ovaryacting! is a play that shames period shaming. addresses the myths and taboos surrounding female menstruation. 

It was created and performed by a student cast of young girls through research they themselves conducted.

This devised play was researched and created in three weeks by the students of Methodist College for the annual Interschool Drama Competition 2019 organized by Royal College staged at the Lionel Wendt. The play won ‘Best Play’, ‘Best Original Script’, and ‘Best Supporting Actor’ at the competition.

Runtime
1 hours and 30 minutes

Language
Sinhala, Tamil, English

Ovaryacting! was first staged at the Lionel Wendt in March 2019.

The opening show was produced by Methodist College, Colombo.

A public performance of the play, with a post-show panel discussion mediated by the students themselves was later staged at the Methodist College auditorium.

“Such a warm, witty, and wonderful way of dealing with a sensitive issue that spoke to students and parents alike.”

-Tracy Holsinger, Mind Adventures Theatre Co.

“If a play could be both thought provoking and entertaining, Ovaryacting! was the best example of this. One moment the audience is roaring with laughter. The next moment your conscience speaks to you and reminds you that the laughter is at your own expense. They tackled the taboos of female menstruation in our society.”

-Priyanwada Perera, Ceylon Today

“An empowering and educational depiction about menstruation…”

-ARTRA Magazine

Initial devising workshops were designed to help the girls decide on the play they wanted to create. The ‘period stigma’ or the ‘shaming’ and ‘secrecy’ around menstruation was a topic that came up repeatedly in discussion. All the girls had experiences living with their periods in a society that was neither empathetic, knowledgeable or supportive.

The girls then conducted research and interviews into their family and community to unearth more stories and opinions on the issue. The material of these interviews was worked on in rehearsal.

What was most interesting for the cast to explore was a young girl’s struggle to understand the happenings within her own body through the bizarre ways of how family, friends and society responded to menstruation.

The students wanted to bust taboos surrounding menstruation, while educating audiences on the biological and psychological impacts periods have on growing children.

The monthly ‘Period’ was made into a character in the play. This character ‘visits’ the protagonist for the first time unannounced and then accompanies her on her search for answers.

Ovaryacting! - Resource Pack (English)

Ovaryacting! - Resource Pack (Sinhala)

Ovaryacting! - Resource Pack (Tamil)

Ovaryacting! - Script