Writers like Octavia E. Butler and Margaret Atwood often shy away from being labeled prophets. When their fiction rings true, it’s due to their keen observation of trends and projecting future outcomes. This concept holds true for Arlene Hutton’s ‘Blood of the Lamb,’ a gripping play about reproductive rights, debuting in Chicago with the Promethean Theatre Ensemble. Directed by Anna C. Bahow, the play was finished before the 2022 Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization that overturned Roe v. Wade. Four years later, it captures the ensuing bureaucratic chaos and legal uncertainty.
In ‘Blood of the Lamb,’ unseen male legislators sleep soundly while two women face the harsh realities of their decisions. The play unfolds in a stark setting, an anonymous airport conference room designed by Amy C. Gilman, painted in unforgiving whites and grays. The characters’ names remain hidden initially, suggesting their universality. However, for clarity, they are identified as Nessa and Val. Nessa, a first-time mother, faced a medical emergency diverting her flight from Los Angeles to Dallas. Val, a lawyer with five children, is tasked with Nessa’s unprecedented legal case, representing her deceased infant.
This scenario, plausible in light of the fetal personhood movement, arises from a fictional Texas law granting citizenship to Nessa’s fetus. With abortion banned in Texas, Nessa faces a felony charge if she leaves the state to terminate her nonviable pregnancy. If she attempts this, she risks being charged with abuse of a corpse, referring to the deceased fetus inside her that threatens to cause a deadly infection if not addressed.
The Promethean production uses two rotating casts. Meghann Tabor played Nessa, while Delia Ford portrayed Val during the performance attended. On other dates, Heather Dennis and Kirsten D’Aurelio fill these roles. Director Bahow’s note emphasizes the randomness of casting, symbolizing the universality of the women’s plight.
While this choice brings a dark, fable-like quality to the production, it limits character depth and audience connection. Nessa’s personal backstory sparks empathy but feels undeveloped. Val initially appears as a conservative Texan, yet later reveals facets of a professional woman navigating a male-dominated field. The audience might yearn for deeper insights into both characters.
The play’s structure and pacing need more intensity. Early tension is well-crafted as Nessa grapples with her predicament, but after a significant revelation, few surprises remain. Val’s interactions, like completing forms or unfruitful calls with government lawyers, underscore bureaucracy’s absurdity but sometimes slow the action.
Although ‘Blood of the Lamb’ doesn’t entirely capitalize on its intriguing premise, it remains provocative and relevant. Hutton explores gender dynamics in reproductive rights by presenting Val as a not unsympathetic intermediary between male power and the affected women. Val’s struggle to navigate the changing legal scene echoes the chaos following Alabama’s 2024 ruling on frozen embryos as children — an event postdating the play’s 2023 debut at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Hutton, much like other speculative fiction writers, is not a seer, but an astute observer of contemporary issues.
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