A Writer’s Road

“I don’t ever read reviews,” playwright Jessica Goldbergsaid. “I’m too sensitive … I’d rather not know.”

The revelation is surprising, considering that thesoft-spoken Jewish dramatist hasn’t had so many bad reviews. Her edgy yetentertaining work has often earned kudos since one of her Juilliard studentpieces caught the attention of a Taper producer in 1998. At 31, Goldberg isalready a veteran of that elite cadre of young female playwrights, whichincludes Annie Weisman and Amy Freed. But perhaps her early success exacerbatedthe usual writer’s insecurities, she said at a rehearsal of her provocative newplay, “Sex Parasite,” for Taper, Too.

“When one is younger and has less of a sense of oneself,”she said, “there’s a lot of self-doubt…. You go through rejection and youhave to figure out how to love your work beyond the reviews.”

Goldberg became curious about how other female artists hadgrappled with the problem throughout history. Eventually she discovered theVictorian-era revolutionary feminist Olive Schreiner, who became the heroine of”Sex Parasite.”

Like Goldberg, Schrenier had catapulted to an early literarysuccess. An ex-governess from rural South Africa, she became the toast ofLondon after publishing her radical debut novel. In later works, Schreineroutlined her theories that women are as sexually passionate as men and thatwomen who don’t work are merely “sex parasites,” living off their husbands. Yetthe feminist hid aspects of her sexual past in order to be accepted by highsociety.

To enhance the character’s outsider status, Goldberg playedup the fact that Schreiner had Jewish blood. She partly based her protagonist’srelationship with an upper-crust scientist on the doomed interfaith romancebetween 1920s Jewish novelist Anzia Yezierska and famed educator John Dewey.

“‘Sex Parasite’ [explores] how one survives in a world thatis totally in opposition to who you are,” said the play’s director, Chay Yew.

In the end, however, the character’s journey reflectsGoldberg’s own.

“The play explores issues of self-acceptance,” she said.

“Sex Parasite” plays April 4-18 at the Ivy Substation in Culver City. For tickets, call (213) 628-2772.