Authors like Octavia E. Butler and Margaret Atwood avoid being labeled as prophets. Their works feel insightful because they examine trends and project them forward. This is evident in Arlene Hutton’s play, Blood of the Lamb. This thriller, focused on reproductive rights, recently appeared in Chicago through the Promethean Theatre Ensemble, directed by Anna C. Bahow.
Hutton called her play speculative fiction. She finished the first draft months before the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned Roe v. Wade. The play reflects the enhanced bureaucratic and legal turmoil that followed. In Hutton’s story, unseen male politicians make decisions while two women deal with real consequences. The setting is stark, framed in whites and grays by scenic designer Amy C. Gilman, resembling a Beckettian environment.
The characters’ names remain unknown until later, emphasizing their universality. For clarity, they will be named here. Nessa, expecting her first child, experienced a health emergency forcing her flight from Los Angeles to New York to land in Dallas. Val, a lawyer with five children, represents Nessa’s legal case. The premise unfolds as Val represents Nessa’s deceased fetus, due to a new hypothetical Texas law granting fetal citizenship. This law makes it illegal for Nessa to leave Texas intending to end her nonviable pregnancy, risking charges of abuse of a corpse.
The Promethean production alternates casts. Meghann Tabor performed as Nessa and Delia Ford as Val at one viewed performance. Heather Dennis and Kirsten D’Aurelio alternate in these roles on other occasions. Bahow’s director’s note highlights this casting choice, symbolizing these women as representatives of countless others.
On a dramatic level, the anonymity in the production has pros and cons. Hutton’s and Bahow’s decisions create a dark fable feel, but hinder character depth and emotional connection. Nessa’s personal details generate some empathy, yet her character lacks complexity. Val initially appears as a clichéd conservative figure, but layers reveal her challenges as a professional woman in male-dominated settings.
The story’s tension builds well early on as Nessa grapples with her situation, but after key revelations, it lacks enough twists to maintain engagement. Val’s scenes, dealing with bureaucracy, highlight systemic absurdities but sometimes slow the pace. The ambiguity of a late plot twist intrigues, yet could resonate more if previous issues were resolved.
While Blood of the Lamb doesn’t fully capitalize on its intriguing premise, it remains an engaging and timely piece. Hutton explores gender dynamics by casting Val as a mediator between male authorities and affected women. Watching Val navigate changing legal landscapes brings to mind the Alabama Supreme Court’s 2024 ruling on frozen embryos following the play’s debut at the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Though not a prophet, Hutton displays acute awareness of modern society’s challenges through her speculative fiction.
Emily McClanathan is a freelance critic.
Review:
Blood of the Lamb(3 stars)
- When: Through Oct. 3
- Where: The Den Theatre, 1331 N. Milwaukee Ave.
- Running time: 1 hour, 15 minutes
- Tickets: $35 at 773-697-3830 and prometheantheatre.org
Leave a Reply