"You only live one... but if you do it right? Once is enough.”
An indomitable force of femininity, wit, and sensuality… A blonde with monumental curves… A business woman beyond her time… A beacon of storytelling that challenged the status quo of her time and beyond… She’s all of that. But, that doesn’t even scratch the surface. This piece has been an absolute labor of love ensuring that this work honors Mae while exploring complexities of her extravagant existence. I combined as many different sources to make this piece as authentic as possible. From biographies to interviews, accounts from stage/film historians, from the perspectives of Mae’s closest confidantes and costars — from her personal assistant for the last decade of her life, to the late, great Bette Davis… Sextette costar Ringo Starr, just to name a few!
Many a night, I sat in wonder in front of my computer screen, gleeful and in awe, at a random new clip of Mae uncovered. The beauty of the work on this piece is that the research is never finished. We are always finding out more about powerhouses of our past. Each discovery informed this piece and upheld the perspective of her greatness as well as the complexities of a life fully lived. It was paramount to synthesize many different perspectives so we could truly rise to the occasion of honoring this icon’s “Herstory.” But even more than that? To honor Mae’s words, first & foremost.
This play was first developed as a workshop-style production in 2019 at Denison University's 2nd Annual Denison Fringe Festival. A the time, I was unable to get a hold of one of her two autobiographies, Goodness Had Nothing to Do with It. However, thanks to the Bexley Library, I was able to get my hands on an original copy to utilize in this iteration. The untamed joy I felt in infusing this version with Mae West’s firsthand perspective of her life’s work, love affairs, and goings-ons really gave this piece new, even more authentic life. Though there is unmistakable merit in including outside perspectives, Mae West herself must serve as the ultimate guiding star to the truth of her existence. Flaws, hyperboles, and all, listening to the authority of someone’s own words can open doors to a more complete understanding of their personal experience, especially for Mae. She created her life, her story. And so that, in its own special way, is honored.
It is important and more-than-ever worthwhile to note we are dealing with a piece of historical material. Mae West was an ally and advocate for the expression of minority groups at the time, touching on their stories through her writings. Mae’s work was not primarily to “champion for others” or to be a “moral savior.” However, she recognized that, through her work, she had the unique power to uplift taboo subjects and spark conversations about social "others" in the 1930’s/1940’s. Whether it was feminism, race relations, gender fluidity/expression, class struggle… Mae bravely took pen-to-paper and produced subversive entertainment with genuine curiosity: Why weren’t people giving platforms to these groups and their life experiences?
What are the most important things we can take away when following such an extravagant, fearless life? Well, that’s where you — the audience — comes in. All of Mae’s incredible accomplishments, tongue-in-cheek anecdotes, and the heartbeat of her spirited life are alive and “shim-sham-shawobblin’” in my head as I go forth in embodying this woman and taking on the great responsibility of honoring her legacy when I step onstage.
Mae did not particularly like women impersonating her onstage in her lifetime. So, from the very beginning, I did not want to caricature her legacy. I wanted to authentically embody a woman who sits comfortably within her authenticity and owns herself the whole way through. Many people have never heard the name Mae West in our modern age, so I think she would want her legacy uplifted for as long as possible, passing the torch on to women who resonate with her fearless spirit and vitality.
My final word is this: Mae West existed. Women like her have existed, and will continue to exist throughout the tests of time. We need stories like Mae’s in these times and forever. The power of a woman’s words can move, shake, and change the game. For it has, and always will be, the right time to keep speaking.
- Francesca DiFrancesco
