AD LIBIDO

“Have you ever thought about becoming a lesbian”

A review by Tanya Howard

Fran Bushe wants to fix sex. During her sexually active years Fran has tried to have a “normal” sex life but for the most part it just hurts, leaves her feeling uncomfortable, and becomes more about placating the feelings of male partners rather than making it pleasurable for herself.

Told by doctors she just had an underused vagina, to come back when she was in a steady relationship for couples’ therapy and wished good luck Fran went on her own quest in pursuit of “normal” sex before deciding to bring her one woman show to the stage and get us all talking honestly and openly about what happens in the bedroom, good and bad.

Armed with an array of catchy songs, a diagram of her vulva on a projector, glitter, her teenage diary and dressed in her trusty dungarees she’s ready to tackle the unspoken topic of Female Sexual Dysfunction, a condition that affects at least 43% of women, which covers problems with sexual response, desire, orgasm or pain during sex.

A very personal piece Fran reads actual excerpts from her teenage diary which includes entries on her first relationship and their repeated attempts at sex. Fran brings a real sense of humour to the show whilst at the same time bringing to the forefront the serious points and it really does make you think about the struggles she, and many other women, face every day without any sense of a cure or answer in the near future.

After seeing the unhelpful doctors, we are taken on Fran’s journey to “normal” sex including her friend Paulo who thinks he can fix her with his magic penis, I feel a song coming on, and her late-night Google sessions for a cure including a supplement called Spanish Fly Sex Liquid or the Orgasmatron, which is implanted into your spine and sends shock waves to your vagina… Just to clarify Fran did not take up these offers.

We are also taken to Sex Camp in Dorset, this is a real place I must add, and no lie had the song I Like To Move It playing as the arrivals poured in. They were told that penetration was not permitted unless you were at The Cock Inn, which was essentially just a caravan in a car park, and that they could take classes like Vagina Worshipping Class.

There was a point where Fran actually thought Sex Camp was working and was going to be the one to fix her but suddenly her time was up, and they wouldn’t allow her to extend her stay. So intent on staying Fran bought the only tent available in the town and arranged to meet one of the guys from a class but the moment of it working swiftly passed and Fran found herself once again in the same position, in pain, uncomfortable and not enjoying sex.

The show ended with Fran having an inner monologue with her vagina, the tent being a metaphor for it with her sat inside, and suddenly bursting out dressed in a dolphin onesie. Letting go of the crazy cures, ignoring the poor suggestions of doctors and friends, Fran has decided to stop trying to fix sex and work on being okay with being alone and getting her message out about FSD.

Despite all the advances in the medical world and for a generation that are supposed to be more open and accepting we are still surprisingly behind when it comes to any advances in curing FSD or even talking about it out loud. I applaud Fran and her boldness and confidence in showcasing her experience so in depth and allowing people to truly insert themselves in the most private moments of her life to fully understand what she has to deal with and get her message out there.