Informed by interviews with queer parents, co-parents and donors, Baby in the Mirror takes a personal and uncompromising look at the questions that arise when we want to create a family. Tickets available from https://festival.summerhallarts.co.uk/events/baby-in-the-mirror/
Tell us about Baby in the Mirror.
Lena’s wearing a pinstripe suit. Joey’s soaking wet
Baby in the Mirror is about queer baby making.
It’s kind of asking all the big questions that we ask, or most of the time don’t ask and probably should be asking, about what it means to make a baby and have a family. Especially when you’re queer.
How have you researched Queer family and parenthood – how do you use your findings in the show?
We interviewed loads of people involved in queer family making – co-parents, parents to be, single parents, donors (egg/sperm), donor conceived people, trans parents, non-binary parents, etc. etc. We also researched all the legal and practical stuff (IVF inequality, adoption, rights, turkey basters, etc etc.).
This research informed what questions we wanted to ask in the show and what we thought was important. Not just how you have a baby, but why, what barriers you face, what additional things you need to think about when you’re creating a non-normative family.
The show is entirely fictional but we did record some of the interviews as part of a podcast series, which you can listen to from our instagram or soundcloud.
This is SecondAdolescence’s debut show – what made you want to use this story as your debut?
We want to make work about queerness, gender fluidity, and an exploration of the structures that tell us we are one thing or another.
This felt like a good place to start.
Do you think it’s theatre’s responsibility to platform Queer stories and creatives?
We think there’s a responsibility to platform stories and work by creatives from any group that doesn’t fit into the mainstream and particularly, if marginalised in any way. Of course, queer stories are a part of that and we want to see way more of them. That doesn’t just mean programming shows, but also increasing funding, carving out opportunities and creating an equitable space for creatives from all backgrounds to make work and for that work to be seen. We have a long way to go on that.
What is your favourite thing about the fringe / What are you most looking forward to this festival?
Meeting other artists, seeing their shows and talking about them.
What do you hope audiences will take away from this show?
We hope some people feel catharsis.
Joy.
We hope some people learn a thing or two.
We really hope that everyone comes out of the show and starts their own conversations about what family is and what it could be.