Promethean Theatre Ensemble Presents ‘Blood of the Lamb’: A Timely Examination of Reproductive Rights

Dystopian authors like Octavia E. Butler and Margaret Atwood avoid calling themselves prophets. Their works seem to predict the future because they observe current or historical trends and project them forward. Arlene Hutton’s play, “Blood of the Lamb,” follows this method. It’s a thriller about reproductive rights now showing with Promethean Theatre Ensemble in Chicago, directed by Anna C. Bahow. Hutton, an American playwright, called her work speculative fiction. She finished the first draft before the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade. Four years later, this two-person play reflects the real bureaucratic chaos and legal uncertainty that followed.

In “Blood of the Lamb”, unseen male politicians sleep soundly as two women face the life-threatening results of their decisions. The play is set over a long night in an airport conference room, designed harshly in whites and grays by scenic designer Amy C. Gilman. Characters remain unnamed at first, highlighting that they could be any women. Later, we learn the names: Nessa is a first-time pregnant woman who had a medical emergency mid-flight, and Val, a lawyer with five children, takes on Nessa’s legal case. Val represents Nessa’s unborn deceased baby due to a fictional Texas law giving citizenship to the fetus.

Nessa can’t leave Texas without facing charges because abortion is illegal there. Leaving with the intent to end a nonviable pregnancy becomes a felony. The potential charge is abuse of a corpse, referring to the fetus that threatens a deadly infection if carried to term. Promethean’s production features alternating casts. Meghann Tabor plays Nessa and Delia Ford plays Val at the performance attended, while Heather Dennis and Kirsten D’Aurelio take over roles on other nights. Bahow states in her director’s note, “That randomness is the point.” These characters represent any two women without names.

This anonymity both helps and hinders the play. It evokes a dark fable quality but limits deep character development and emotional engagement. Nessa’s personal life snippets foster empathy, but she seems one-dimensional. Val, with religious statements, attire, and a cross necklace (costumes by Rachel M. Sypniewski), starts as a typical conservative Texan but shows complexity as a professional woman in male-dominated settings. There’s a desire to understand these women better.

Structurally and pacing-wise, the thriller could improve. Initial tension builds as Nessa navigates terrifying circumstances, but after the first reveal, few surprises keep the audience engaged. Val spends time filling online forms and calling unhelpful lawyers, slowing the story. While ambiguity in a later plot point intrigues, addressing earlier pacing concerns enhances the impact.

Though “Blood of the Lamb” doesn’t fully capitalize on its intriguing premise, it remains provocative and timely. Hutton explores gender dynamics in reproductive rights issues, positioning Val as an intermediary between powerful men and a woman affected by their decisions. The lawyer contends with changing legal landscapes, recalling Alabama Supreme Court’s 2024 decision declaring frozen embryos as children, which took place post-premiere at the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Hutton isn’t a prophet, but she observes modern society keenly.

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

Emily McClanathan is a freelance critic.