Whitney Cohen's '03 one-woman play "Sweet Inverted Princess" is an impressive foray into the trials and tribulations of being a certain type of woman. The play concentrated on Cohen's dialogue as a modern day "princess" - the lucky winner of another reality television travesty that wanted to marry a real, live prince. The private setting created a personal bond between her and the audience, as they become the recipient of her dialogue on the contradictions of being an intelligent woman. Herein lies Cohen's success: She intellectually captured the very real dilemma of being an assertive woman, still longing for unconditional love, respect and what is embodied in the vision of a real, live prince.

Cohen displayed an impressive level of honesty with her audience; from speaking on a very personal level about rape, sex, love, hate and anger to ripping off her 'princess' gown in a fit of rage. Much of her dialogue at the audience centered on social commentary, from cat calls from men to ridiculous ads in magazines such as the surgical alteration of the clitoris for a more 'attractive' look. This, I believe, is when Cohen is in her element; she speaks eloquently and persuasively on the absurdity of social treatment of women. Interspersed within the play are songs that speak to the lives of women, such as "Winter" and "Happily Ever After."

Cohen also succeeds in granting the audience access into her character's own life - her failed relationships, her battles with body image, etc. The play varied between a relaxed dialogue with the audience and a more dramatic, intense style of performance art. At one of the play's most climactic moments Cohen trashes the set, literally freaking out under the pressure and restrictions of her status as a woman. While this is a little too theatrical for my liking, she redeemed the import of the play with an uplifting and socially inspiring ending.

I have never thought of myself as a feminist. I grew up with brothers and always felt I was judged as a person before I was ever judged as a woman. Yet I was genuinely impressed with how Cohen handled the subject. Even for those hesitant to recognize it, women are treated differently and there are inherent contradictions in being assertive and yet desirable.

Cohen addresses the "princess complex" on both a personal and a larger scale. She states that "Women wait for men to appear and give them happily ever afters, perfection, gifts, new lives, etc. It's unrealistic and it's unhealthy and it's part of the reason that assault and rape and violence are so rampant: against women, against animals, against other human beings, against our planet."

The fears that Cohen openly admits are ones that are brutally important for every human to understand, for women face issues like hating their bodies or trying to find out "how to be sexy without feeling like an object" every day. Her vision for the future is one we can all hope for - a fairytale not reliant on anyone else, be it prince or pauper, but completely dependent on the strength and ability of women.

Cohen has an impressive background in theater and can next be seen in "Sweeney Todd" at the New Repertory Theatre in Newton. In the more distant future Cohen said, "it looks like I've just been offered a job with the largest professional theater in South Carolina for the next year, as part of their core acting company. That's Charleston Stage in Charleston."

For more information about 'Sweet Inverted Princess,' visit www.brandeis.edu/wsc/invertedprincess/.