In this delightfully absurd piece of theatre, womanhood is explored with explicit insight
The Womb is a cerebral space. It exists simultaneously in an alternative universe, while remaining deeply connected to our, the audience’s, corporeal world.
The Womb is the stage. Three women are there. They roll about on the floor, giggling, skittish, and in complete awe of everything they come across. All in this space is entirely unknown to them; it seems as though they are experiencing the dawn of time. In a sweet moment of theatrical metaphor, we watch as their lives begin in the womb, as is the case for us all. Their lives, and thus the experience of universal womanhood, are just beginning. In a series of short scenes, we join them as they come to terms with the grim reality they, and therefore all women, must face.
The Womb, described by Co Theatre, the production company behind the work, as “an absurd play about the absurd things women that women have been going through since the beginning of the world” achieves precisely that. With each scene, the characters discover more ways in which women are subjucated by this world that was designed by and for men. These discoveries are stumbled upon by the characters – playwright Aylin Rodoplu’s clever language allows for exquisite subtlety within a theme that often lacks nuance, a pitfall considering the obstacles we face within the turmoil of girlhood are not always overtly discernible. Rodoplu’s intentionally opaque dialogue feels like poetry, heightened by its ability to connect the audience to the themes at play. While the production could easily feel inaccessible due to its absurd style, Rodoplu does an excellent job ensuring that ideas are clearly laid out, aided by a plethora of props, quips, stories, and deft physical theatre.
The cast – Aylin Rodoplu, Tara McMillan, Gabriela Mahé – commit wholeheartedly to the intensity of the production. Their performances are skilled: one moment, they are shy, giggling, and demure, the next they are gruff, desperate, and fiendish. They exist upon this pendulum throughout the performance, experiencing an astonishing array of harsh revelations, with a truly believable display of genuine horror.
Elise Xiaqi Eriksen’s careful direction allows for a continued sense of ambiguity. This empowers the audience to observe the action through the lens of their own lived experience, intensifying the sense of the characters’ embodiment of the everywoman.
The Womb is an incredibly exciting piece of new theatre which will likely spark inspiration for a new set of theatre makers to explore themes that deserve continued interrogation.