The Motherhood Project
London theatre news: Thursday 25 March 2021
Film - Online
15 short films explore the guilt, joy, absurdity and taboo surrounding motherhood in an online festival of monologues and personal reflections.
Image courtesy Battersea Arts Centre
The Motherhood Project is an online festival of dramatic monologues and real-life reflections by leading UK artists and thinkers.
The programme consists of 15 short films exploring the guilt, joy, absurdity and taboo surrounding motherhood.
The cast includes leading UK artists Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, Athena Stevens and Anya Reiss, Juno Dawson, Lemn Sissay and Naomi Sheldon.
The films will be available on Battersea Arts Centre's website from 19 to 25 April and all ticket sales will include a 50% donation to Refuge.
Curator Katherine Kotz invited writers, artists and technicians to join forces and donate their time to create exciting new pieces to support vulnerable adults and children affected by the pandemic.
Interrogating the relationship between parent and child, autonomy and responsibility, dramatic pieces were contributed by Irenosen Okojie, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, Hannah Khalil, Anya Reiss, Suhayla El Bushra in addition to Naomi Sheldon, E.V Crowe, Jodi Gray, and Katherine Kotz.
Alongside them, artists and activists will share their experiences and expectations of parenthood.
Actor, writer and disabled rights activist, Athena Stevens talks about the tension between having children and being a 'reasonable' woman.
Juno Dawson, journalist, author and trans rights activist, discusses bodily autonomy and the relationship between motherhood and womanhood.
Kalhan Barath reflects on caring for other people's children having decided not to have her own.
In between sharing his poetry, Lemn Sissay MBE talks about his relationship with his mother and his journey towards understanding things from her perspective.
The poet and playwright Joelle Taylor shares her poem about non-mothers who help raise children.
Lakuta vocalist Siggi Mwasote explores her bond with her teenage daughter, escaping an abusive relationship, and how moving to a predominantly white area affected her daughter's school years.
The Motherhood Project creator, Katherine Kotz, commented ...
"I set up The Motherhood Project as a way of bringing artists together to help respond to the needs of the crisis.
I was keen to engage with new writing on the topic of motherhood because I was pregnant at the time and grappling with my own preconceptions about what lay ahead.
With women bearing the brunt of the pandemic's economic impact while continuing to perform 75% of unpaid care responsibilities, I hope these short films will stimulate discussion about our cultural expectations of women."
Show listing information
Synopsis
In 2020 curator Katherine Kotz invited writers, artists and technicians to join forces to create exciting new pieces of work during the lockdown, with the aim of supporting vulnerable women and children affected by the pandemic.
Fifteen short films explore the guilt, joy, absurdity, pressure and taboo surrounding motherhood, offering a fascinating cross-section of perspectives.
Writers and contributors include Anya Reiss, Hannah Khalil, Lemn Sissay MBE, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm, Suhayla El Bushra and more.
Production: Katherine Kotz in association with Drift Studio. Gunk is produced by Katherine Kotz in association with Abíóla Rufai-Awójídé. Kalhan Barath is produced by Katherine Kotz in association with Jay Rozanski.
Venue
Battersea
London
SW11 5TN
Dates
From: Monday 19 April 2021
Closes: Sunday 25 April 2021
Tickets
Standard: Pay What You Can (suggested price £10) All ticket sales include a 50% donation to Refuge
Links
Show website
ActDrop full listing for The Motherhood Project
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