Luke Norris's extraordinary play at the Royal Court theatre in London offers a harrowing yet profound portrait of pregnancy and grief. The trigger warnings handed to the audience on entry are justified: this is a dark, intense exploration of loss within a marriage, but it is also funny, tender, and never overwrought.
The play follows an unnamed thirtysomething couple as they navigate the aftermath of a devastating 20-week ultrasound scan. She (Rosie Sheehy) is clever and ferocious, while he (Robert Aramayo) is gentler, using humour and poetry to soften her edges. Their dialogue is fast and furious, a contact sport that reveals the depth of their bond even in crisis.
Directed by Jeremy Herrin, the play shifts seamlessly from savage to tender, devastating to humorous. Norris, known as an actor and playwright of Goodbye to All That, confirms his talent with this work. The plot twists bring shock and dread, but also whimsy and deep rumination on mortality, including a mystical element that explores dreams and other worlds.
The staging is striking, with blackouts between scenes and Grace Smart's set design changing at speed in the dark. Jessica Hung Han Yun's dazzling lighting transforms hospital rooms into the couple's bedroom or would-be nursery. The visceral fights speak the unspeakable, with lines like 'Sometimes I hate you' and wishes of death, yet love endures through tears and angry charges.
This tear-jerker has 100% heart and 0% sentimentality, making it a powerful start to the Royal Court's 70th anniversary season. It is an emotional tour de force that you do not want to miss.
