Reviewed by: Glam Adelaide
Review by Rebecca Wu | 08 March 2024
Presented by Kaytlin Bailey, Whore’s Eye View has come to Australia for the very first time. Bailey is the founder of Old Pros, a not-for-profit media company that advocates to change the status of sex workers. Additionally, she hosts The Oldest Profession podcast, which uses historical contexts to demonstrate the past struggles of former sex workers for their rights. This review is based on her show at The Garage International. The set was simple, she has a projector which she occasionally uses, a lectern, and a microphone. Her command of the microphone led to the entire performance being delivered clearly and audibly, which was necessary as the entire set felt similar to a lecture. With a background in theatre and as a former escort, Bailey’s skill lies in using all of the stage, delivering flawless dialogue with great poise, and consistently and confidently using eye contact with all audience members. There is no rushing in her speech, it felt calm and in control. She uses the projector to visually aid the relaying of 10,000 years of history of sex workers. As she talks about the former deification of women and their subsequent demonisation, she notes how the status of women has changed from ancient times to the patriarchy, influenced by factors such as the Catholic church, the medicalisation of women, and sex propaganda. With this all fresh in our minds, she then transitions to addressing the current landscape of the sex work trade, covering topics such as trafficking, decriminalisation (or lack thereof), stigma, and modern (or not) rights. I felt this production would have been better suited to the Adelaide Writers’ Week line up of the Adelaide Festival rather than the fringe itself, due to its delivery. I went into the show thinking it would be comedic, personal, and informative. However, the vast majority of it was simply educational. There were some jokes, however that is no different to going to a lecture at university with a lecturer that is funny.