“Nine Sixteenths is a fast, fun multimedia look at iconic black female role models.”
At the Superbowl half time show in 2004, 19-year-old Justin Timberlake exposed 37-year-old Janet Jackson’s breast and nipple to a huge live TV audience for nine sixteenths of a second. This brief ‘wardrobe malfunction’ was seen by 150 million viewers and it derailed Jackson’s career for many years, while Timberlake’s thrived.
The incident caused a furore that impacted heavily on Jackson and undoubtably damaged her career. Her music was blacklisted by numerous TV and radio outlets and her 2004 Grammy Awards invitation was revoked. The controversy halted plans for Jackson to star in a Hollywood film and overshadowed the promotion and of her album Damita Jo. Conversely Timberlake was welcomed at the Grammy’s and suffered little negative backlash.
Was it a publicity stunt? Who was invested in the backlash? Who joked over her humiliation? How have all those involved profited since? What does all this have to say about the demographics of who controls the media, and the ways in which black women are scrutinised in the public eye?
Nine Sixteenths is a fast, fun multimedia look at iconic black female role models. It is created by artist and theatre-maker Paula Varjack and unpacks the media rise, fall and rise again of Janet Jackson, and what this has to say about how black women are treated by the media. The show premiered at the Pleasance Theatre this week, neatly coinciding with the US Presidential election which expectedly received a timely reference.
Joining Varjack are Pauline Mayers, Julienne Doko, Endy McKay and Livia Kojo Alour. Together they go on a thought-provoking journey exploring themes of representation and pop culture with a wave of nostalgia for the early noughties, along with the hopes and dreams of these black female performers, all through a visual variety of devised theatre, dance and lip sync.
The show explores coming of age in the 1990s and how hugely influential Jackson was, especially for young black women. It is fast-paced, witty in the right places and serious when it needs to be. The venue and audience are transported to a world of stadium concerts and TV studios which amplifies the pivotal role Jackson played in modern popular culture, paving the way for Britney Spears, Beyoncé, and Rhianna amongst others.
Varjack says: “Janet Jackson was a tremendous icon to me at a time when I had relatively few black female artists to look to. She was a game changer in so many ways – and did it on her terms. After her ‘wardrobe malfunction’ the music industry let her down, in ways so effective that many thought her career faded away. Yet she kept working, making music and films and now, finally, the injustice of what happened is being recognised. In the end, it’s the art that matters. As an iconic role model for many black women, and an outspoken ally for the LGBTQL+ community she made great art. The show also looks at why role models matter and the lack of older female role models of colour and the role that (largely) white male media executives play in deciding who thrives in mainstream pop culture.”
The show has a runtime of 75 minutes which is just about right. There are many productions in arts venues across the land which are 2+ hours long, which is fine if the content is interesting and entertaining enough to maintain your attention and enthusiasm. But if it does not maintain these then a night out at the theatre can turn into a chore when it should be a treat. 75 minutes is not too short but not too long either, and the old adage less is more is often very true.
The show continues at the Pleasance Theatre from 6th – 16th November before further London dates and a UK tour in 2025.