In part, the frustration springs from society's attitudes towards prosecuting rape cases. Historically, a huge majority of alleged rapists brought up on charges are released. Often, the courts, like the general public, maintain the assaulted women are to blame.

Nestor G. Carbonell '91, who played Raul, said that several women approached him after productions."[They said, `We] felt so bad for you up there, you were getting smacked and hurt and I couldn't help but feel sorry for you,'" he said.

Producer Beth A. Norman '92, said she thought the victims themselves often feel responsible. She said she viewed Marjorie as an anomoly.

"Marjorie never feels this during the play. There are very few moments that she does doubt her own innocence," Norman said.

The character's unusual lack of selfdoubt might be attributed to the play's having been written by a man, Norman also said. Although she called all three of the women's roles "very strong," she said she thought the role of the rapist is "unbelievably well written."

Bishop said that she decided to stage this play in part because when she was searching for a work concerning women's issues. She also said she liked the fact that three of the four roles were female ones.

"There were about 30 shows [last term] and only four had women directors. Upwards of 60 per cent of the HRDC members are women," Bishop said.

Both Bishop and Norman said they thought Extremities would be a particularly timely production because there were a number of instances of sexual harassment last semester at Harvard. The two also said the play's falling in the same week as Take Back the Night was a fortunate coincidence.