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Black Faggot and Other Plays
Three darkly provocative and ground-breaking plays by award-winning playwright Victor Rodger explore what it means to be gay and Samoan in contemporary New Zealand. The collection includes Black Faggot (2012), At the Wake (2012) and Club Paradiso (2015).
Victor Rodger is an award-winning playwright of Samoan and Scottish heritage. His first play, Sons, debuted in 1995. Since then he has eight other plays produced, both nationally and internationally. He has held writing residencies at the University of Canterbury, the University of Hawaii and Otago University. He is currently the writer in residence at Victoria University of Wellington.
Victor Rodger is an award-winning playwright of Samoan and Scottish heritage. His first play, Sons, debuted in 1995. Since then he has eight other plays produced, both nationally and internationally. He has held writing residencies at the University of Canterbury, the University of Hawaii and Otago University. He is currently the writer in residence at Victoria University of Wellington.
170 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2017
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January 22, 2024ABSOLOUTELY DO NOT READ THIS WITHOUT READING THE TRIGGER WARNINGS. YOU NEED TO FIND A BIGGER LIST THAN WHAT I HAVE OFFERED
Trigger warnings and themes mentioned: Homophobia, racial slurs, religious impressions of queer relations, death, suicide, self-harm, gun violence, knife violence, murder, sexual assault and sexual abuse to very young children and adults, domestic and family abuse.
5/5
The first play, Black F-word was raunchy, hillarious and speaks to a great deal of queer stories among polynesian communities.
3.5/5
The second play, The Wake was a harder read. Joan is an incredibly unlikeable woman, she is confrontational, abrasive, and seemingly intolerant of cultural differences – she is an enbodiment of some of the grandparents mixed people have – but, as to be expected there is much more to her. She was a woman that lived through so much pain, someone who did her best to nurture loved onees through the worst of it. This play is unpredictable. Although I wouldn’t say this one was my favourite, it has been the most thought provoking.
Will not be giving stars
The third play, Club Paradiso. The hardest read and to be honest, one I wish I never read. This story was absolutely not for me and was a fucking whirlwind coming off of the first play which had me thinking it would be a series of comedies (it definitely wasn’t). I’m glad I wrote what I thought of the others around the time I read them and before reading this one, because this has unfortunately soured my experience of the others. As awful as it was to read, it was something I couldn't put down, but it absolutely isn't something I would recommend to anyone not wanting to read such an evil play. This isn't a critique on Rodger's writing in the slightest, just something I wish I had never read and something I hope others don't continue to read while expecting or hoping for another play on the wavelength of Black F-word
Trigger warnings and themes mentioned: Homophobia, racial slurs, religious impressions of queer relations, death, suicide, self-harm, gun violence, knife violence, murder, sexual assault and sexual abuse to very young children and adults, domestic and family abuse.
5/5
The first play, Black F-word was raunchy, hillarious and speaks to a great deal of queer stories among polynesian communities.
3.5/5
The second play, The Wake was a harder read. Joan is an incredibly unlikeable woman, she is confrontational, abrasive, and seemingly intolerant of cultural differences – she is an enbodiment of some of the grandparents mixed people have – but, as to be expected there is much more to her. She was a woman that lived through so much pain, someone who did her best to nurture loved onees through the worst of it. This play is unpredictable. Although I wouldn’t say this one was my favourite, it has been the most thought provoking.
Will not be giving stars
The third play, Club Paradiso. The hardest read and to be honest, one I wish I never read. This story was absolutely not for me and was a fucking whirlwind coming off of the first play which had me thinking it would be a series of comedies (it definitely wasn’t). I’m glad I wrote what I thought of the others around the time I read them and before reading this one, because this has unfortunately soured my experience of the others. As awful as it was to read, it was something I couldn't put down, but it absolutely isn't something I would recommend to anyone not wanting to read such an evil play. This isn't a critique on Rodger's writing in the slightest, just something I wish I had never read and something I hope others don't continue to read while expecting or hoping for another play on the wavelength of Black F-word
November 18, 2019
Brilliant gut-punch writing, wildly funny and thoughtful - filled with humanity. At The Wake in particular is a powerful character study in the darkness that creates the humour-shield. These are brilliant playscripts from a talented writer.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews