Paying for it: an insider’s guide to the NZ sex industry

The Prostitution Reform Act was passed in 2003 but apparently sex work is still a controversial job choice. As one of the speakers says “It seems like never is a good time to talk about sex work. “ So it’s really neat that several have got together to tell us stories about their lives. None of them are stage performers but all are determined to conquer their nerves to let us know a bit about their lives.

There are themes through all the stories – discretion is their business. Sex work is basically therapy. The clients can be physically and verbally dangerous. The industry can be dangerous. The encounters can be emotionally charged experiences. The lines between professional and personal can blur. There are ethical as well as physical considerations. Boundaries, payment, and the eventual physical intimacy are important. We heard about workers supporting each other. Events that could have ended fatally for the individual and how skills of negotiation, confidence, and ingenuity were employed to save themselves. How working with disabled individuals is incredibly rewarding and how important it is to keep the rules of engagement clear.

Thank you to everyone involved in this talk. I thought it was fascinating.

[Note for the speakers – There’s no need for you to apologise for a (self-perceived) lack of presentation polish. Your words and stories are good – trust yourself!]

 

Easy living: life in a small town

Presented by Playshop this show is based around small town life. The ask fors are about the characteristics of living in a small town which the cast then riff off.  It features a rolling cast and a structure of a scene with two people, then a monologue from one of them, then a scene between that person and someone else etc. On the night I went the cast was 6 men and 3 women which meant there were a lot of same-gender pairings. There were some really great (funny) moments and some near-misses resulting in a show that was more slice of life than a neatly wrapped up story. Special mention to the musical accompaniment and lighting people for their good work. (Sorry, no programme for names!)

An enjoyable early evening show.

  • Easy living: life in a small town on at Gryphon Theatre to 19 February 2017