The classic 1985 film Kiss Of The Spider Woman is also an award-winning musical, about to debut in Australia.
Written in 1976 by Argentine author Manuel Puig. Considered his best work, it was also controversial, being banned in many counties. Puig also adapted the story for the stage before Terrence McNally created the musical in 1993.
Having played the West End and Broadway, and earning a string of Tony Awards, the new Melbourne Theatre Company (MTC) production debuts this month.
Ainsley Melham (right) in a scene from Kiss of the Spider Woman
Directed by Helpmann winner Dean Bryant (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert: The Musical) it stars Adam-Jon Fiorentino (Thoroughly Modern Millie), Ainsley Melham (Aladdin) and Caroline O’Connor (Bombshells) in lead roles, with choreography by Bryant’s fellow working partner, and Helpmann winner Andrew Hallsworth.
The dark story tells of two men sharing a prison cell in South America. Valentin (Fiorentino) is the brooding Marxist revolutionary, while Molina (Melham) is a gay window dresser. Complete opposites, the two prisoners are forced to share not only a cell but also their private feelings, resulting in an unlikely bond. While Valentin’s world revolves around brutal politics, Molina escapes into Hollywood fantasies about a diva named Aurora (O’Connor).
“Valentin uses strong language which can be described as homophobic.”
Playing the protagonist character of Valentin is certainly complicated. He is a rough and aggressive homophobe, yet there are deeper layers to discover, as Fiorentino explains.
Adam-Jon Fiorentino plays Valentin in the MTC production Kiss of the Spider Woman
“At the beginning of the play Valentin uses strong language which can be described as homophobic, but later in the piece there’s a very big shift in how he views Molina. And it’s through his lack of education or experience with someone who is gay. It’s like with homophobia today where fear and lack of understanding will draw them to hate speak. Once Valentin is in the cell with Molina, he understands over time, how this person is just another human being and he finds a connection.”
For Ainsley Melham, playing Molina involved a similar character breakdown, exploring how the character is defined by his sexuality.
“Molina is quick witted, high-spirited and a complete romantic,” says Melham. “He lives life through wonderful fantasies that are inspired by classic films that he so admires. As a result he can sometimes come across as frivolous but there is a great deal more he is concealing at his core.
“I did a lot of research, particularly looking at the period in which the piece is set, including the social and political landscape and how that would impact Molina’s life, and how he has grown up. I also explored how Molina’s sexuality informs the version of himself that he projects out to the world, and how his love of cinema might elevate or influence that.
“The thing I find fascinating about Molina is that he uses the worlds of these old films that he loves so dearly, to form fantasies to which he can escape when the reality of prison becomes too much. It’s also a great challenge to fully comprehend what it means to be a gay man dealing with his sexuality in a time and place that is so far removed from our own, one that has not yet reached the level of acceptance and understanding that we are working with today.”
Ainsley Melham and Caroline O’Connor in a scene from Kiss of the Spider Woman
Given its themes of unorthodox relationships, isolation, despair, fantasy and ultimately love, Kiss of the Spider Woman certainly makes for a truly unique theatre experience, as both actors agree.
“I explored how Molina’s sexuality informs the version of himself that he projects out to the world.”
“It’s a story about how people can change and situations are a lot more complicated than what they originally seem,” says Fiorentino. “Humans are complicated and so is life. It shows how people’s fervour and belief systems can change, depending on life experience.”
“It has wonderful up-beat moments,” says Melham. “But it is also gritty, and at times, a confronting tale. I hope our audiences leave the theatre with a greater understanding of what the word ‘acceptance’ really means, and that we are not only talking about tolerance, but respect and love.”
Kiss of the Spider Woman plays at the Southbank Theatre Melbourne 18 November to 28 December
For more visit: mtc.com.au/KissoftheSpiderWoman
With Adam-Jon Fiorentino at the Kiss of the Spider Woman premiere
