For a younger generation of women, abortion rights may be seen as one of the gains of feminism we take for granted. But the status of reproductive rights remains fragile, tentative, and challenged throughout the world. In the United States, a brain-dead woman was kept alive until her baby could be born due to Georgia’s strict abortion laws. The criminalisation of abortion in Texas and other states has left healthcare professionals and women alike stranded, unable to make the most informed medical decision for fear of prosecution under the law.
24Weeks, the new play from writer Laura Walker and director Isabelle Cory, takes this landscape of abortion criminalisation as its subject. In the UK of 24Weeks, abortion is a criminal offence. Women must immediately report their pregnancies to the government, abortion is not a legal medical procedure, and there are incentives for reporting women suspected of abortion to the police. But the focus in 24Weeks is not the wide, sweeping impact of “family first” conservatism; instead, it narrows in to show the impact of these policies on an individual level.
24Weeks follows three flatmates: Becca (Erin Jederon-Hogg), Faye (Katie Pedelty), and Georgie (LJ Williams), reckoning with their choices in the aftermath of a house party. Director Isabelle Cory does a fantastic job of maintaining a claustrophobic atmosphere for cast and audience alike, as we explore the repercussions of their actions in this politicised world. Over the full hour, we never leave the flat’s bathroom, though the characters may desperately wish to escape. Cory effectively uses audio and multimedia to set the context of this world in an approachable, artistic manner.
The performances of the cast are also exemplary, with each actor depicting different perspectives on a complex debate. LJ Williams offers a particularly nuanced performance as the emotionally tormented Georgie, while Erin Jederon-Hogg shines in a passionate, wistful final monologue. The cast maintains strong chemistry as flatmates and friends, while still also holding to their individual perspectives throughout the show. This combination of acting strength, wise directorial decisions, and a stellar script makes 24Weeks a particularly heavy-hitting piece of art.
24Weeks represents the expansion of an already impressive portfolio of work by the Tatty Pants Theatre Company. In the current political climate, their feminist approach to political theatre feels especially important. Their partnerships with organisations such as Shout Your Abortion, the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, and Engender provide an example of the true potential of art: not only to fulfil our quest for culture, but to connect us with our communities, and to make the world a better place. TPTC is can’t-miss feminist theatre, and 24Weeks is a crucial piece of work in the current moment.
24Weeks runs from 1–25 August (not 7, 14, or 21) at 1pm at Gilded Balloon Patter House.
Tickets are available for purchase here.
Image courtesy of Ella Gant @elgant_photography, provided to The Student as press material.