(the) Woman
The North Wall Arts Centre, Oxford

JANE UPTON’s unflinching diatribe against motherhood largely takes the form of a series of duologues or hard hitting, humorous sketches about a female playwright facing the physical, emotional and psychological challenges of coping with a baby.

From the sexual strains on her marriage and exhaustion to restrictive social perceptions of motherhood and the impact on her career, (not to mention the physical changes brought on by childbirth), the 100-minute play takes a broad sweep at the often overlooked, lifechanging event of raising a child.

Lizzy Watts plays the sharply spoken, often crude mother with more than her share of attitude, but this slightly unsympathetic portrayal fits the character’s own sense of self-loathing brought on by a minefield of contending emotions and degraded self-image.

The second birth of a sickly child and all the anxieties that brings along with a world that seems to have sidelined her aspirations and be unsympathetic or uncomprehending of her situation only compounds her dissatisfaction with the unfulfilling life she finds herself leading.

The other three actors play a diversity of engaging roles such as husband, friend, employer, doctor and contrasting mothers, all of whom perform as a double act for Watt’s character in order to emphasise her isolation and frustration. Their comments, criticism and advice only add to her annoyance and distress.

The self-referential nature of the drama, where the protagonist is a playwright trying to write about an “unapologetic insight into being a woman,” also enables the sketch-like structure of the text to be explained as an intentional reshaping to suit her needs.

Directed by Angharad Jones, the scenes follow on rapidly, although there is no traditional dramatic flow and the energy level and emotional commitment is consistent throughout. The sharp, often coarse humour counteracts the oppressive reality of the depicted motherhood that rarely portrays any pleasure in the role.

Although we are largely sympathetic to the mother’s predicament, her unwavering angst and self-preoccupied observations do not warm an audience to her unless they have undergone the same debilitating journey. This is not a show you would want to see if you were considering motherhood any time soon.

On tour until March 15. For venues and dates see: newperspectives.co.uk