Isabella Rossellini to tour in Green Porno
Screen icon Isabella Rossellini is coming to Australia in 2014 to perform her new stage show Green Porno, a one-woman comedy about mating in the natural world.
In Green Porno, Rossellini takes us on anunusual and fascinating journey into the sex life and mating habits of a number of land and marine animals – the snail, the worm, the fly, the shrimp, the deadly spider, the praying mantis, the anchovy and the bi-phallic snake.
Green Porno originally began in 2008 when Robert Redford encouraged Rossellini to create short environmental films for his Sundance TV Channel. Rossellini knew it was a unique opportunity, “I particularly love short films, I’ve always been interested in animal behaviour, and I certainly know a lot of people that are interested in sex. So here you have the three elements that make the core concept of Green Porno – short stories, animals and sex.”
The critically acclaimed and provocative short film series ran for three seasons and saw Rossellini dressed in a stunning variety of insect and sea-creature costumes as she described and enacted the mating rituals of various wildlife. A book followed and now, the stage adaptation, which has its world premierein Los Angeles in November 2013.
Written by Rossellini – who is currently studying animal behaviour at Hunter College in New York – and Jean-Claude Carrière, Green Porno mixes live performance with several of the short films. Each story, read and performed on stage by Rossellini is scientifically accurate and in each of the films she presents herself as a particular animal.
A quietly influential force in art cinema, screenwriter Carrière (also an author, actor, opera librettist, and occasional director), has collaborated with such important screen artists as Luis Buñuel, Milos Forman, Jean-Luc Godard, Philip Kaufman, Louis Malle, Nagisa Oshima, Volker Schlöndorff, and Andrzej Wajda.
Adelaide Festival Sat 15 March & Sun 16 March
Her Majesty's Theatre
Bookings: BASS 131 246 / adelaidefestival.com.au
Perth Wed 19 March Perth Concert Hall
Bookings: Ticketek 1300 792 012 / www.ticketek.com.au
Sydney Sat 22 March City Recital Hall, Angel Place
Bookings: 02 8256 2222 / www.cityrecitalhall.com or Ticketmaster
Brisbane Mon 24 March Brisbane Concert Hall
Bookings: QTIX 136 246 / www.qpac.com.au
Photographer: Jody Shapiro.