A&E
Student-directed Blow delivers powerful message about teenage rape culture
By Kyandreia Jones ’19
April 28, 2016
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Filled with humor, care and honesty, Raechel Jae Rosen’s Blow moved audiences this past Monday and Tuesday. Based on Rosen’s first blow job experience, the 40 minute production, directed by Rosen’s sister Melodie Rosen ’18, draws attention to the overwhelming prevalence and disturbing lack of attention dedicated towards dealing with rape culture among teenagers in America.
Today’s society perpetuates rape and and unhealthy reactions to sexual assault by failing to educate today’s youth about the meaning and necessity of consent. Oftentimes, society tends to ignore or fail to condemn situations that fail to acknowledge a person’s right to choose what he or she wants in a sexual encounter, which removes the opportunity to provide a real choice. Without this chance to give real, informed consent to any sexual act, people may often feel trapped, ignored, uncomfortable and helpless.
Blow begins a conversation on the nature of consent, rape and helplessness. The writer recalls one of her own experiences, including specific dialogue and details to examine the issues surrounding sexual education and expectations that contribute to rape culture. In the play, she reverses the characters’ gender roles: the main character, Jake (portrayed by Jack Martin’19) actually portrays Rosen’s role in the action, while five females portray the male students who were involved. This innovative change forces the audience to think about the rigidity and validity of gender roles both in the play and larger society.
The Rosen sisters successfully created a tangible connection between audience members and the lead character, Jake. The image of one guy surrounded by five girls makes Jake seem like he should be perceived as a winner, according to society’s habitual standards. But Jake’s vulnerability and mistreatment complicate the situation. Sammy (portrayed by Samantha Fogel ’19), abuses Jake’s crush on her and, in an effort to impress her friends, neglects to ask Jake whether he wishes to perform oral sex on her and her friends.
This scene demonstrates a loss of agency as well as a power imbalance and is very difficult to watch. As a result of being outnumbered and afraid, Jake becomes a survivor of sexual abuse at the hands of these women who view themselves as entitled to use his body as they please. Remembering that the writer was the one girl amongst a group of guys makes the blow-job scene all the more powerful.
This culminating scene, which lasted at least half the length of the show, served many functions. The awkward, uncomfortable scene showed Jake’s perspective of the experience—Sammy forcing Jake to orally please her and her friends. The silent audience watched as the quiet Jake alternated among each woman several times.
Although the production felt rushed, which compromised a sense of closure, upon further reflection, Blow provided audience members with a compelling story. Rosen’s ability to share a crucial moment from her adolescence strengthened the piece. Further, her ability to watch a reenactment of her own experience proves her need to tell her story. During an open talk following the show, she shared, “I want to break down the patriarchy.” Ultimately, more than just sharing her experience, her reenactment includes quirky characters, jokes and Beyoncé songs, revealing her lack of fear to return to her first blow job experience and providing a compelling and truthful production.
Rosen took what happened to her 15-year-old self and used her experience to educate others about rape culture among teenagers, an issue that has often been overlooked and which plays a major role in the lives of many young boys and girls. For this reason, Blow serves as more than a survivor’s story. Blow becomes a battle cry for an end of the patriarchy, and a reclaimation of a female’s value, power and identity.