‘EXTREMITIES’ STAR CONFRONTS RAPE : TACKLING A TORMENTING ISSUE

How sick is society? Ask actress Darla Cash, the lead in the play, “Extremities.”

No sooner had the notices for the San Diego Repertory Theatre’s staging of William Mastrosimone’s topical drama on rape hit the street than Cash--who plays a victimized woman who turns the tables on her assailant--began to receive obscene, threatening phone calls.

“It’s one of the things I don’t like about having my name in front of the public,” Cash said. “People develop fantasies. And you get things like obscene phone calls.” The real-life telephone messages all too ironically underline the play’s message about the motivation for rape and the helplessness of female victims.

Cash gives a stunning portrayal of a woman accosted in her home who is driven to become an equally inhumane tormentor, partly by revenge and partly by fear that the man will escape conviction and return to rape and kill her. The play’s violence and intense emotions have stretched Cash to the snapping point.

“It gets more intense as we go along,” she said. “There are times I wonder if I can stop crying (on stage). A lot of what’s not tied up gets tied up with the audience. This play is more of an experience than a nice little entertainment. It’s not easy to zip in and out.”

Once, during rehearsals, Cash “flipped out.”

“I was under a lot of pressure --my father was sick--and one day I just couldn’t do it,” she said. “It was too humiliating and suffocating to be talked to that way. You can’t do this kind of violent play if you don’t have some semblance of love in your life. Being in the theater and maintaining a personal life is not an easy task. I think I was very fortunate to be able to go home and have that during this show.”

Rape is not something Cash has only read about in the newspaper. She related a story about a friend who was raped by someone she knew, a man the woman took home from a party because he was drunk. “This woman let the man sleep in her living room,” she said. “The next morning he raped her. There was nothing she could do about it. It’s the powerlessness that’s the killer.”

Her friend did do something, though, somewhat in the spirit of what happens in “Extremities.” “A year after the rape, this woman was at a party and the man was there. She put a pig’s mask on, and grabbed him like he did her. It shocked him, but he’s still around. . . . I bet he’s raping once a month.”

Drawing on one of several cigarettes, Cash began to talk about “Extremities” in the Rep’s business office, at first matter of factly, then with rising anger. Her character, Marjorie, is dominated by Raul, who urges Marjorie to say affectionate words to him as he chokes her.

“Rape is a male issue,” Cash said. “It’s an attitude toward women that runs through society. Men never come up to you and say, ‘I’d love to make love to you.’ They do say some pretty disgusting things, though. But it’s never to make you feel good. And it happens every day on the street. An admiring glance is one thing, but a lustful ‘I-want-to-take-something-from-you’ look is something else. You can’t even walk on the street. I mean excuuuuse me for having this face.

“People say being pinched in Italy is like that, but it’s a whole different thing. I know why some women pork themselves out and slob around. They’ve been hurt before and want to be protected. It’s a subconscious thing.”

“Extremities” not only is emotionally demanding, but physically, it’s a dangerous play for the two leads. According to Cash, both Farah Fawcett and Susan Sarandon, who have acted in previous productions of the play, were injured during the play’s fights. She credits fight director Anthony Delongis and her “leading man” for the absence of injuries.

“In other productions they’ve found slimeball actors,” she said. “I’m lucky to have Tavis (Ross, who plays the role of Raul). During this show we’ve become much closer.

“I’ve told Tavis that if we don’t lead gentler lives after having done this play, we haven’t done our jobs. If you go out and get a gun--that’s not what this is about. It’s a matter of grace.”

Although “Extremities” offers Cash a plum role, she has reservations about whether its consciousness raising isn’t countered by the nature of the script.

“I think the ending is too sympathetic to the rapist,” she said. “Someone could come and learn how to rape and get out of it. And in the end, Marjorie gives (Raul) his soul. It’s so lonely up there when all you can do is give way to this kind of sickness and have your life changed forever. Rape isn’t easily gotten over. I’ve tried to imagine what happens to Marjorie after this day. I think she’s still real sick.”

As for her future, Cash, one of 10 actors employed year-round in the Rep’s acting company, is quick to deflect the question to society.

“It depends on people who will support the arts,” she said. “Mr. Reagan doesn’t seem that supportive. Art is one thing that’s going to outlive us all. It’s the single better investment than real estate. It is absolutely essential.”