FEMALE AROMA by
Female Aroma focuses on the tragic reality of war-torn countries, in which statistically, one out of three women is said to be abused daily by men. It involves the resonant, emotional story of a woman who puts her husband into women's clothes in order to save him from harm during the Yugoslav war, but forgets to cover herself before the paramilitaries. As a result, Serbian soldiers rape her, while her...
Female Aroma focuses on the tragic reality of war-torn countries, in which statistically, one out of three women is said to be abused daily by men. It involves the resonant, emotional story of a woman who puts her husband into women's clothes in order to save him from harm during the Yugoslav war, but forgets to cover herself before the paramilitaries. As a result, Serbian soldiers rape her, while her husband looks on tormentingly and silently, unable to help her. Following the conflict's end, the couple is forced to leave the province due to the shame of the incident, and subsequently relocate to the city. While in the capital, the husband obtains a government job, and is quickly promoted to the highest levels. As he slowly but surely embraces a greedy, corrupt lifestyle, he urges his wife to embezzle funds, and sign documents which will later give her away to the authorities. After her crime is discovered, she is arrested and jailed. The man, now powerful and arrogant, marries another woman, whom he treats shabbily once he tires of her. Not long into the production, a female cable technician arrives, and early in the discussion with the wife, demonstrates how surprisingly strong "Girl Power" can be. By the play's end, the women’s' combined strength helps to bring the perpetrator to justice, and ends up scoring major points for a woman's important role in society.