DR CARNESKY’S INCREDIBLE BLEEDING WOMAN La Bohème Until 05 Mar 2018 Review by Janice Bailey The subject of the female menstrual cycle may not be everyone’s idea of entertainment. To Marisa Carnesky the subject matter is very personal and meaningful and she intends to shock in order to make her audience think about the importance of the topic. Excerpts are amusing, absurd and to some people likely to be offensive as so many taboos surround menstruation. I personally found the concept quite confronting while at the same time it was thought-provoking and the mixture of magic and witchcraft certainly captured my attention. ‘Dr Carnesky’ provides information to the audience about the cultural history and artistic representation of menstruation, not as a lecture but as mesmerising entertainment. She has done her own real-life research and she presents a sound argument. While this is a celebration of the female body the show also highlights the idea that while females disregard their own bodily cycles it is little wonder that we disregard the cycles of the planet by not recognising the significant connection. This show is not for everyone but if you can disregard the discomfort and engage with the entertainment value, there are many elements which provide much food for thought. Rating: 4 stars (out of 5)