The debate over reproductive rights continues to rage in the media on both sides of the Atlantic, so Turning Point Theatre Company’s latest Fringe show is extremely timely.
Party-loving Bonnie wakes up with hazy memories of the night before. She’s convinced her drink has been spiked, but her housemates, the motherly Rachel and sensitive medic Gen, insist that everything was fine. As she tries to piece together what happened, reality and hallucination blend into one until the truth is revealed.
From the outset the pace is brisk, with powerful soundbites from news features on abortion and sharp, snappy dialogue; while the theatre is small the three actors make good use of the space, including coming out among the audience during arguments and monologues. It may be a dystopian near-future setting but the risks are all too real in 2024, from the choice between safe medical pills and homemade herbal concoctions to the possibility of jail time for enabling other women to have abortions.
Dreamlike sequences and flashbacks add nicely to the sense of Bonnie’s growing confusion and fear. I won’t spoil the big twist but needless to say I didn’t predict it, and it offers a grim insight into the lengths women might go to protect each other. It’s tense and very well acted – I’d love to see this trio on a larger stage at future Fringes.
With Covenant TPTC have produced a stark, thought-provoking show about bodily autonomy and consent that should be seen by everyone, regardless of whether they own a uterus or not.
****
Covenant is at Greenside George Street on 12-17, 19-24 Aug