Dark Vanilla Jungle and Other Monologues

by Philip Ridley

It was a very hot day – dazzling sunshine! – and Mum – she was wiping sweat from her neck. No, not wiping. Dabbing . . . Dab . . . Dab. Mum was a beauty. Not like me. And don't tell me I am because you'll be lying and I won't thank you for it. Not today. Not when this whole thing – us, here - is about me telling the truth.

The latest from Philip Ridley is a beautiful, breath-taking new drama about one girl's craving for family and home, and the lengths she will go to achieve them.

Dark Vanilla Jungle embarked on a national tour of Great Britain in spring 2014.

This edition also features a selection of previously unpublished monologues by Philip Ridley alongside the play.

Genres: Plays, Theatre

74 pages, Paperback

First published April 17, 2014

Reviews

[Charlie Lee · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am a huge Philip Ridley fan but I would not recommend this play as it is incredibly depressing, and though it has many of his hallmarks:
- elements of gritty social realism
- dark humour
- visceral imagery
- the grotesque (in the literary sense)
It's missing one vital ingredient we have come to expect from Radiant Vermin to The Pitchfork Disney and everything in between:
- the fantastic (in the literary sense)
I feel like, without this crucial ingredient, this play is just bleak. Very bleak. Even more so than other plays of his that have tackled similar subjects, like The Fastest Clock in the Universe.

I will re-iterate, this is not badly written, and I love Philip Ridley. Especially everything in Plays 1, most of Plays 2, Shivered, etc. There's only really this and Tender Napalm that I would not reread.

[Doug · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main titular monologue is quite brilliant, and would love to see some first rate actress enact it. The other five short pieces are varied in quality, but all contain some excellent material for aspiring actors to use as audition material. This MIGHT have gotten five stars if it weren't for the final piece, 'Killer', which contains a vivid description of animal torture, which I really could have done without.

[S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very interesting. Not for the faint of heart and clever in places. Although I could tell a man wrote this - the female character for me just didn’t reflect any woman I’ve ever come across. It was quite a straightforward way of thinking from the character which I just didn’t necessarily believe when reading. But the storyline was interesting and weird!
Didn’t think much of the other monologues at the end though.

[Rachel M J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dark Vanilla Jungle was devastating, grotesque, but gorgeous. One of those reads that leave you thinking and discovering long after its over. The three star rating is because of the other monologues, which felt unnecessary, and arguably weaken Dark Vanilla Jungle retroactively when you see similar characters and themes being used in much shallower ways.

[Jack Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I.. I'm still alive. I survived the black hole. But.... Where am I? I can't see anything... What now?"