MARIA DUARTE and MICHAL BONCZA review Virginia Woolf’s Night & Day, Familiar Touch, Nino, and Toy Story 5
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Oh, baby!
SIMON PARSONS applauds a new drama that pays tribute to the hundreds of women who volunteered to develop IVF
A TRIBUTE TO COURAGEOUS WOMEN: Bobby Hirston, Adelle Leonce and Bebe Sanders in A Child of Science
[Helen Murray]
MATTHEW HAWKINS explores the initiatives proposed by HEALING ARTS SCOTLAND
ALEX HALL welcomes an analysis of how modern capitalism is deeply intertwined with emotions, and their manipulation
MARTIN GRAHAM welcomes a statistical analysis of how much tax the super-rich pay, and foresees that the demand will flush out their agents
RICHARD WORTH relishes the fleeting moment and sense of flow of the late, great saxophonist
DENNIS BROE notes the thin, unfunny and apolitical quality of the gruel dished up by the US networks and studios for mass consumption
BARBARA BOSWELL remembers South African poet, storyteller, publisher, editor and activist Diana Ferrus (1953-2026)
A Child of Science
Bristol Old Vic
GARETH FARR’S testimony to the scientists and women who went through years of trials and tribulations in the development of IVF is an enlightening and moving drama that traces not only the scientific problems but also the barrage of conservative, religious and gutter press obstacles and interference they had to overcome.
The unrelenting pursuit of scientist Robert Edwards (Tom Felton) in exploring chromosomal development of early-stage mammal eggs in a culture medium, and his serendipitous relationship with gynaecologist Patrick Steptoe (Jamie Glover) whose his pioneering laparoscopy tackled back-street abortion butchery, along with the essential medical support work of Jean Purdy (Meg Bellamy) are the predictable characters at the core of this play, but not of the drama.
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