Unplanned. To 20 September.
Birmingham.
UNPLANNED
by Malika Booker.
Birmingham Repertory Theatre (The Door). To 22 September 2007.
Runs: 1hr 10min No interval.
Review: Jan Pick: 20 September.
Baby, Bye Bye!
Entering Birmingham Rep’s smaller space the audience is greeted by an invitation and a gift. Malika Booker then invites us to share a beautifully-judged and compassionate piece of theatre.
This one woman show, for Apples and Snakes theatre copmany, is a quirky, humorous, yet deeply perceptive exploration of the relationship between parent and child, and the potentially problematic and occasionally tragic area of conception and birth.
Booker stirs a magical mix, weaving traditional stories and superstition around the reality of her life experiences and those of other women. Telling of her own desire to have a child, she moves seamlessly to become the voices of those other women, sharing their experiences, ranging from the unexpected or unwanted pregnancy to the desperation of the inability to conceive. She tackles the uncomfortable and the potentially embarrassing, performing with gently deceptive humour and style, luring her audience into a theatrical journey that ranges from the funny to the tragic.
The set, designed by Mamoru Iriguchi, works both as a living room, and as a platform for those voices, using the small space to maximum advantage, helped by Cis O'Boyle's clever and sensitive lighting which emphasises or creates the changes in mood and tempo as required.
The partnership of writer/performer Booker and her director, Rachel Mars, has delivered a rich and rewarding production. A play dealing with the biggest subject – life and death – told in Birmingham Rep’s smallest space, Unplanned is able to deal honestly and truthfully with a subject that many find difficult without sacrificing humanity and humour. Storytelling at its best.
Performer: Malika Booker.
Director: Rachel Mars.
Designer: Mamoru Iriguchi.
Lighting: Cis O’Boyle.
Costume: Suzanne Alleyne.
Hair: Morris Roots.
2007-09-24 00:26:05