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Desert Bloom

 
Oliver Lugg Review by Oliver Lugg 4 Published: 7 Jun 2016 Sweet Dukebox Show Dates: 30 May 2016-5 Jun 2016

Decked out in her Nevada-based caravan, it is initially unclear in what direction Rosa Rita's tale will take. What is made clear, however, is her love for the literary. Declaring her admiration for Whitman, Dickinson and Emily Bronte, her mentioning of them originally seems unambiguous. Yet, what they begin to represent are the female lead's lust for escapism from the tragic instances she goes on to detail, not only of her own life, but her late mother's Marilyn Monroe.

such a focus on factual accuracy could not detract from the emotionally-charged performance given

Explaining how many situations within her mother's life affected her own, the non-linear manner in which they are told mirrors the ups and downs of both their lives. With meticulous attention to dates, this piece from Plush Tiger Productions was clearly well-thought-out. However, such a focus on factual accuracy could not detract from the emotionally-charged performance given. From her contented, though simplistic, life in the trailer park to her upset at discovering she has thyroid cancer, the extremes of emotion Rosa experiences are more than akin to those of her mother. That a medical condition of the illegitimate daughter of JFK is brought up also reflects the many gynaecological issues Monroe had to contend with in her own life. This inclusion of the double was done subtly and foreshadowed how their lives reached a certain state due to the works of men.

Ultimately, this fictional play arising out of fact mirrors the psychological human condition. Wishing to escape reality and human attempts at depicting things and situations resembles how captivatingly Rosa Rita will transport you into her world in Desert Bloom.

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The Blurb:

"Everyone has a secret. How secret is yours?" What WAS Marilyn's real legacy? Sex, celluloid, scandal or something else entirely? Rosarita, a fragile yet hardy Nevada bloom muses on the fate of Hollywood's favourite plaything, as well as love, life, and loneliness.