Hailed as a symbol of the women empowerment movement in the early 60s, the pill – a medication that disrupts the usual flow of the menstrual cycle and stops the process of fertilisation, would be seen as a step forward in the fight for equality and women’s rights. However, decades down the line, has this necessarily been the case? Offering an honest account of her very own experience of taking the pill, Rebecca Pythian presents autobiographical show Pill as part of this year’s Clapham Fringe Festival line up.
Visit, after visit, after visit, Pythian is given the same, well rehearsed, monotonous, robotic script in regards to her prescription of the pill – offered differing brands each time, she attempts to cut through the noise and express how each prescription makes her body feel – this, time after time, callously ignored and therefore allowing for the same repetitive, non helpful, harmful cycle of weight gain, depression, impacted blood pressure to continue. Pythian at one point painted with the possible side effects of taking the pill, Adam Martyn’s emotionless portrayal of the doctor, one that at points causes laughter at the sheer relatability of the encounter. His turn as her boyfriend, one that drums up feelings of sadness as we see exactly how her life, and those around her, are impacted by her wellbeing. A necessary story for our times, examining this cultural and societal aspect of women’s health, a play with promise, I look forward to an extended version of this!
Written by Lucy Basaba.
Pill was shown on Friday 23rd to Saturday 24th September at the Bread and Roses Theatre as part of this year’s Clapham Fringe Festival. To find out more about the production, visit here…
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