When a mother is captured on film calling her son the c-bomb in a split-second of rage, she questions the expectations and regrets that come with motherhood
In Son of a Bitch, a darkly comic solo show that asks if it’s ok to regret motherhood and asks about the choices that led there in the first place, a woman goes viral after calling her four-year-old son the c-word. Comedy writer Anna Morris won a Scotsman Fringe First for her debut play, which sees stressed mother Marnie struggling to look after her challenging son Charlie, leading to a fateful 10 seconds. As the clip is debated on national television and radio, Marnie’s life violently unravels. Jumping forward and backward in time shows the build-up to, and the fallout from, the worst moment of Marnie’s life. Son of a Bitch explores the fetishisation of motherhood and questions the common misconception that the childless might regret not having kids. Perhaps some parents regret having them?
Morris said, “I wrote the play to explore the themes of maternal ambivalence, choices, the fetishisation and glorification of motherhood, the way women are pressured into following the heteronormative path of marriage and children—pressures on women to meet someone and beat their biological clock, regardless of circumstance. The play also explores the power of social media, how a ten-second video of someone’s life can absolutely destroy them. I’m 44, and I don’t have children, and I’m absolutely fed up with the way people judge me for this. With this show, I really wanted to start a dialogue around the choices we have around having children.”
Southwark Playhouse Borough, 77-85 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD from 26February – 15 March.
Times: Mon – Sat 7.30pm, matinees 3pm Tues & Sat.
Admission: £25 (£20 concs), £16 previews, £10 Pioneers’ preview (26th) Booking: southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/son-of-a-bitch | 020 7407 0234
