XXX Riverside Hammersmith

XXX or Just Hype?

Steamy Stage Scenes At Riverside Studios

If Riverside Studiosï¿½ notion is ï¿½all publicity is good publicityï¿½ then they must be delighted with the furore their controversial show XXX has managed to cause.

The review, based on the Marquis de Sade's 18th-century book Philosophy In The Bedroom, is performed by a Spanish quartet named La Fura Dels Baus. Their director, Alex Olle is amused by the characteristically British reaction to the show amusing saying "Since La Fura was founded 25 years ago we have wanted to shock people so they can open their minds. For me this reaction is funny - and it is good for our ticket sales."

He was referring to the audience reaction of a scene where a member of the audience ï¿½ allegedly a ï¿½plantï¿½ - was dragged up on stage where he was subjected to a sexual act. Mr Olle produced the offending article ï¿½ a prosthetic penis ï¿½ as an exhibit for the defence after complaints were made to the police.

The show features explicit simulated sex scenes ï¿½ whilst a video screen showed clips of an explicit sexual activity. However the theatre does forewarn the audience stating "Please be warned that this show contains exceptionally explicit scenes of a sexual nature which some may find seriously offensive"

Outraged demonstrators protested outside the Studios claiming that the show was lowering the barriers of taste and decency and demanded tougher obscenity laws.

Not everyone was scandalized, the ES art critic Brian Sewell believes the show should be allowed to continue no matter what happened on stage. "I don't see why these things should not be done on the stage. If you are offended all you have to do is get up and walk out. That is the only kind of censorship that is honest."

April 26, 2003

Beyond Porn at the Riverside - HammersmithToday.co.uk