EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND — Fringe show number two, The Momma Drama present Stretchmarks! Brought me to a tiny venue tucked away in the corner of a pub on the Royal Mile. I was not sure what to expect with this production, but I am no stranger to momma drama or stretchmarks, so I figured I would be able to connect in some way with this production.
I had no idea just how much I would connect. As you walk into the tiny little space, the people greet you with a sippy cup of wine. Now, I do not drink for a myriad of reasons, not the least of which is diabetes (do you know how much sugar is in alcohol?) but I found the gesture lovely. What I found even more creative was the way this played into the show later on, with mothers stretched thin and needing some time to unwind, sipping wine from whatever cups they can find. The show was written by a mothers writing group including Christine Armand, Sarah Cluff, Christine Garofoli, and Jodi Schiller back in 2003. Over the years the show has morphed and changed much like children do, but the mission appears to be the same, to express the challenges and beauty of motherhood.
What reached me most about this, as a mother, was how inclusive the show was about the different experiences that motherhood can bring. The three characters, Leda, played by Sara Neal, Saundra, played by Ryan Hollon, and Annie, played by Sheila Correa, all had a different take on motherhood, from a busy working mom, to a woman who longed to be a mother, to a woman who was not really ready or wanting all of this. In a world where we often place one version of motherhood against another, it was quite a touching experience to see a story play out where they were saying that each story had its ups and downs and each was valid.
The show was guided by Mother Nature, played by author Christine Armand. She served as a mentor for the different mothers, helping them through the challenging times when they could not sleep, reminding them of the harmonious times when the joy of motherhood is key, and connecting them to other mothers because it really does take a village.
One of the most sage lines of the entire show was when Armand was speaking to Neal about the fear of stretchmarks and bodily changes, and Armand said “The stretchmarks you cannot see will leave the greatest mark.” As Armand walked away the character of Neal appeared confused, but throughout the production the audience watched as each of the players are stretched in life and soul. We see Correa play a mom who thought she was a born nurturer struggle with not always liking their child. We see Hollon as a person who has successfully managed large companies wisely learn that no, we cannot manage humans. And we see Neal exquisitely discover that even though we may not be ready, we can still love. And the three of them learn that we do it all better when we do it together.
There were many tears in that small performance space. Most of my readers are not anywhere near Edinburgh, but this is exactly why I came all the way across the pond to experience theatre on the Fringe. Beautiful stories are not always told in great halls. Sometimes they are built in tired mommy groups and told in tiny performance spaces.
