(the) Woman review – explosive comedy tells the unvarnished truth about motherhood

Park theatre, LondonA writer tries capturing the messiness of new parenting in Jane Upton’s gut-punching play – every scene of which chips away at the myth that motherhood should come naturallyWant a crash course in the reality of motherhood? Head to Jane Upton’s panoramic and boundlessly imaginative, Bruntwood prize-shortlisted play. It zips through scenes from M’s life after the birth of her first child – an old school flame tells her he “expected more” from her; she bickers with her husband about not wanting sex anymore – but (the) Woman is much more than an ordered presentation of ideas. M (a gut-punching Lizzy Watts) is a writer, and what we’re watching is her attempt to create a play that captures motherhood with all its messy, unvarnished edges.Angharad Jones’s production weaves M’s writing process into the action. The title of each scene is typed, deleted and rewritten across the back wall of the stage. There are glitches and line repetitions, as M’s artistic vision struggles into shape. In a boardroom scene, she meets two commissioners who agree she can write a play about motherhood – so long as it involves crime, a possessed baby and a few musical numbers. Continue reading...

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