In 2004, the Super Bowl halftime show became infamous for what is now known as 'Nipplegate'. Justin Timberlake tore part of Janet Jackson's bodice, briefly exposing her right breast for just nine sixteenths of a second. This incident, witnessed by 70,000 spectators in the stadium and over 140 million TV viewers, led to Jackson being blacklisted from much of the music industry, sending her career into a downward spiral while Timberlake's continued to thrive.
Paula Varjack's Interrogation of the Fallout
Paula Varjack's play, Nine Sixteenths, now showing at Brixton House, London, until 30 May, delves into the role that gender, race, and age played in that fallout. It also serves as a vibrant love letter to Jackson and her music. The show was initially inspired by Varjack's trip to Glastonbury in 2019, where she saw Jackson perform and wondered why she had never played the festival before. The play highlights the injustice of a white, male-controlled music industry.
A Kinetic Multimedia Analysis
Performed alongside fellow devisers Pauline Mayers, Julienne Doko, Chia Phoenix, and BSL performer Vinessa Brant, the production is a kinetic multimedia analysis. It uses lip syncing, killer dance routines, onscreen BSL by Cherie Gordon, and puppetry to build its case. Directed by Emily Aboud, the show erupts with high-speed spirit, presenting a bleak picture of the industry's double standards.
During an interview with David Letterman, Jackson was continually ridiculed for 'Nipplegate' and seemed desperate to move on. In contrast, Timberlake was welcomed back to the Super Bowl halftime show in 2018 with open arms. The play extends this pattern to other women, including voiceovers featuring derogatory headlines about Meghan Markle and Diane Abbott, as well as covering the abuse Francesca Amewudah-Rivers received when cast opposite Tom Holland in Jamie Lloyd's Romeo and Juliet.
Powerful and Necessary Theatre
The third act sees the cast speak openly about their fears in their personal lives and the industry, veering into broader criticism of society. Despite this shift, the entire production remains powerful and necessary theatre, offering a sharp critique of prejudice and its lasting impact.
