Andy Warhol's Pork

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Andy Warhol's Pork (also known as Pork) is the first and only play by Andy Warhol. It was directed by Anthony Ingrassia, produced by Ira Gale, and stage-managed by Leee Black Childers.[1][2] Pork opened on May 5, 1971, at La MaMa Experimental Theatre in New York City for a two-week run.[3] It was brought to the Roundhouse in London for a six-week run in August 1971.[4]

Synopsis[edit]

Pork was based on tape-recorded conversations between Brigid Berlin and Warhol during which Brigid would play for Warhol tapes she had made of phone conversations between herself and her mother, socialite Honey Berlin.[5]

The play featured Jayne County as "Vulva," Cherry Vanilla as "Amanda Pork," Tony Zanetta as a Warhol-analogue called B. Marlowe, Geri Miller as Josie, Cleve Roller, Julia Breck, and Suzanne Smith.[6][3][7][8] Other cast members included the "Pepsodent Twins" who, according to Jayne County, represented Warhol's boyfriend Jed Johnson and his twin brother, Jay Johnson.[9] According to a review of the London production, "[Amanda] Pork is estranged from her husband and attended by the Pepsodent twins, two boys alike only in their nudity and their pastel powdered genitals."[9]

Critical reception[edit]

Left to right: Dana Gillespie, Tony Defries and David Bowie at Pork at London's Roundhouse in 1971.

Reviewing Pork for The New York Times, journalist Grace Glueck wrote, "All in all, it's a cozy bunch; take out the fornication, masturbation, defecation and prevarication with which 'Pork' is larded and you might have a certain similarity to the juvenile gang in 'You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown.'"[3]

In London, the production caused a scandal. Geri Miller exposed her breast during a photo session in front of the Queen Mother's house and was arrested.[10] The British press panned the play.[11] Journalist Valerie Jenkins wrote for the Evening Standard that "Pork's redeeming essence is that it finds itself so ridiculous; from start to finish it demands not to be taken seriously; it's Warhol people debunking themselves."[12]

David Bowie, who saw the play, later hired several of the Pork cast members to join his management firm MainMan.[13][14]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Leee Black Childers Chronicler Of Drag Queens And Punks Dies". Artlyst. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  2. ^ Auslander, Philip, 1956- (2006). Performing glam rock : gender and theatricality in popular music. Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan Press. p. 121. ISBN 0-472-09868-3. OCLC 60743181.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ a b c Glueck, Grace (1971-05-23). "'Pork' Is Not The Kosher‐est Show in Town". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  4. ^ Lokke, Geoffrey (2019-01-01). "The Theatre of Andy Warhol: Pork in New York and London". PAJ: A Journal of Performance and Art. 41 (1): 54–75. doi:10.1162/pajj_a_00452. ISSN 1520-281X. S2CID 59337107.
  5. ^ "Andy Warhol's PORK - Roundhouse - Celebrating 50 Years". 50.roundhouse.org.uk. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  6. ^ "Talk on the Wild Side: The Effect of Andy Warhol's PORK on the evolution of Glitter, Glam and Punk Rock". warhol.org. Archived from the original on January 26, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2016.
  7. ^ "Reportage photo of Geri Miller as Josie, PORK by Andy Warhol, Roundhouse... 03..." Report digital. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  8. ^ "Obituary: Julia Breck – TV and stage comedy actor who was a favourite of Spike Milligan". The Stage. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  9. ^ a b "1971-05-09". White Crane Institute. Retrieved 2021-07-21.
  10. ^ McNeil, Legs; McCain, Gillian (2014-01-28). Please Kill Me: The Uncensored Oral History of Punk. Grove/Atlantic, Inc. ISBN 978-0-8021-9276-9.
  11. ^ Jenour, Kenelm (1971-08-03). "Sex Show 'Pork' Is The Top Of The Flops". Daily Mirror. p. 9. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  12. ^ Jenkins, Valerie (1971-08-03). "Valerie Jenkins at the Round House". Evening Standard. p. 13. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  13. ^ Weiss, Curt (September 2017). Stranded in the jungle : Jerry Nolan's wild ride--a tale of drugs, fashion, the New York Dolls, and punk rock. Milwaukee, WI. ISBN 978-1-5400-0493-2. OCLC 1031401746.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  14. ^ Development, PodBean. "Tony Zanetta - talking Andy Warhol, David Bowie, Pork & much much more". www.c86show.org. Retrieved 2020-05-30.


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