“Inspired
by a hot flush and a bottle of wine, Menopause the Musical was created by Jeanie
Linders and debuted in March 2001. It’s a celebration of women who are on the
brink, or in the middle of, or have survived ‘The Change’.”
Hello Friends,
I was recently invited to a Girl’s Night Out. The phone call came
about two hours before the event started. I had to make a quick decision to go
or not.
Being the author of Hen Party, an irreverent,
contemporary romance story, how could I turn down free tickets to a real life
Girls' Night Out? I had to say yes, thank you. The story-teller inside me was
hustling me out of the house already. Yeah, no, I just wanted to
have a good time!
When I arrived at the venue with my teenager in tow, we were
given VIP passes. Huh? Really? I had a moment of brain fail before my lips
curled into a smile.
Whoopee, it was my first-time ever as a theatre VIP. I didn’t
know what to expect. The first surprise didn’t take long to arrive. There were
two topless male waiter’s with gym bodies and brawny muscles. They circulated
through the crowd carrying trays of nibbles. The guys didn’t talk much, but they
were happy to take selfies with the Instagrammers and Facebookers.
My next surprise came when I found the VIP area. There was a
big bucket of ice stocked with small bottles of champagne. I choose pink
bubbles. I turned around, and spotted a grazing table full of savoury snacks
like cheese, crackers, olives, dips, nuts etc.
Women of all ages and some brave men attended the pre-show
drinks and nibbles. After an hour, the bucket of alcohol and table of food was
empty. It was hot and stuffy in the lounge area. I lined up at the bar to buy a
bottle of water to take into the show. By this time, there were lots of happy,
chatty women around me who were waiting to buy more alcohol. Physical barriers had
dropped. We squeezed past each other in the queues, knocking hips and bosoms
and sharing brief conversations about nothing important.
A sisterhood of boozy gals had formed in the foyer
and we were ready to have a fun time in the theater. Menopause the Musical
didn’t disappoint. It was hilarious and a terrific comedy. You didn’t have to
be a vintage bird or over forty years of age old to appreciate the lively show.
My teenager laughed along with the jokes and the distinctively feminine humor
that was in the spotlight.
 |
| The bird of menopause. Bye, bye birdie. Estrogen takes flight, and naturally declines. |
Menopause the Musical is an award-winning, box-breaking show. So what is it about? A group of four women meet at a department store. They discover they have more in common than shopping for underwear. The experience of menopause unites them in a sisterhood.
I had no idea that singing about the symptoms of menopause
and dancing to pop songs from the 1960’s, 70’s & 80’s could be so funny and
engaging.
The four women characters (aka, the entire cast) featured in
the musical I saw were;
The Farmer’s
Wife. Hippy and doesn’t wear a bra. Close
to the earth. Her favorite pills were happy hormones.
The
Housewife. She wore
baggy trousers and a blouse. Frumpish. Her husband was waiting for ‘The Change’
to be over and for her to return to normal. Still waiting.
The TV
Soap Actress. Her
days of dramatic greatness had faded along with her looks. Younger, beautiful women were
taking her place on the telly.
The
Businesswoman. She
wore a smart suit, high heels and a designer scarf around her neck. Busy, busy
working and having meetings. She was too busy to go through menopause.
Menopause was presented as ‘The Change’ in a woman that
occurs during the middle years of her life. I remembered my mother’s reluctance
to talk about menopause and generally any ailments and conditions suffered by
female humans. ‘The Change’ was a polite and vague term used by a generation of
women—the baby boomers.
 |
So many changes. The falling apart menopausal woman’s body.
Are there any positive changes to add to the muffin top cartoon?
|
However, being middle-aged doesn’t necessarily stop women
from feeling sexy. Some ladies have made peace with their bodies and enjoy
orgasms. Not all women have the
stereotypical menopause experience, and not to argue the point, because this
show is a laugh-a-thon.
Hot flashes, loss of bladder control and desperately seeking the toilet were the stars of this stage. How many different ways can you cross
your legs, hold it in, and still hobble to the rest room?
"I made it!" the actress exclaimed on each occasion, until she didn't.
The brain collapse, was one of the song and dance numbers
that I won’t forget, for now. The collapse happens when a sudden dazed state takes
you over. You can’t remember what you were thinking about. You can’t think
straight or you completely lose the train of your thoughts. Is the brain
collapse a menopause exclusive state of mind? Next time I stop speaking
mid-sentence, and leave the listener hanging, I’ll going searching for the rest
of the words in the vault of butterflies.
A Tina Turner impersonation was a favorite performance with
my hometown crowd. The actress wore a grey-haired shaggy wig, tight black
leather pants and high, high heels. The wig had its own life force and Tina personality as she danced to the music. We sang along with her. “What’s love
got to do with it?” There was a lot of love for the four fabulous entertainers.
Thanks to this musical, Menopause is no longer ‘The Silent Passage’.
Women are singing and dancing about it in a touring show.
There’s a wonderful life waiting after ‘The Change’.
Enjoy your weekend,
♥ Ashlyn
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