The Womb
02 August 2024
Camden People’s Theatre
4.5 out of 5.0 stars
An absurd play, The Womb examines womanhood on a cerebral level, delving into what it means to be a woman in a world that was built by men.
The stage confines the three women in this place by placing a barrier around them, towels and blankets rolled up and laid out in a circle, the womb this trio of characters finds themselves in. The space is littered with slides, fishing hooks, tampons, as two of the women wander around, moving things to the edges, tidying and clearing away, while staring in wonder at everyday objects as if they have never seen them before.
As the short show begins, the third character is welcomed to this space that is made to disappear from reality, to forget, to connect. Everything is a blur, exciting and confusing all at once, as the three women try to communicate in a fog of forgetting and remembering.
The Womb examines womanhood, moments that are familiar to all women in the audience, moments that seem so strange when taken out of context, the subjugation of women dissected and measured; expectations, perceptions, and societal pressures weighed up and played with before quickly being discarded in a flurry of forgetting.
The absurdity of it all entertaining and thought provoking in equal measure, The Womb is a brilliant social commentary with plenty of humour. The show could easily be stretched to twice its length to incorporate more scenes, touching more subjects under the feminist umbrella, delving deeper into the meaning of womanhood. But even at its current 45 minutes, it is a beautiful, deeply touching, funny and equally provocative, captivating show that is a delight to watch.
