At the George Street Theater in New Brunswick, “Midwives” Asks about Women, Medicine, and Hubris

Feb 6, 2020 by Two Sues On the Aisle

By Sue Weston and Susan Rosenbluth,

Two Sues on the Aisle

In an interview with playwright Chris Bohjalian, included in the program for the production of his play, “Midwives,” now showing at the beautifully redone George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, he says the work is about the way midwives and, to some extent, women, in general, are viewed and treated by men in general and medical and legal professionals in particular. It is also, he says, about dread and anxiety.

He is correct, of course, but not entirely. On a deeper level, this play is about choices that have to be made and circumstances which are either taken into consideration or overlooked and the consequences of those decisions. It is about the hubris that anyone who has ever been in a hospital fears when someone takes a loved one’s life in his or her hands. What precautions have been taken? What is the level of preparedness? Statistics don’t matter, because when you or a loved one is the patient, a mistake means this is what happens 100 percent of the time.

These bare outlines, translated into Mr. Bohjalian’s play, are sufficient to keep the audience on the edge of their seats, hoping, wondering, and doubting.

Winter in Vermont

The story opens in the mid-1980s in a small bedroom in rural Vermont, where a young couple are awaiting the momentary birth of their second child. Charlotte Bedford (played to an acerbic yet vulnerable tee by the very beautiful Monique Robinson) and her minister husband, Asa (Ryan George) have decided to eschew the technological benefits of the local hospital, relying instead on the home-birth services of the venerable, almost goddess-like local esteemed midwife, Sibyl Danforth (played by Ellen McLaughlin as half-wise woman, half-aging hippie) and her new assistant-in-training, Anne (Grace Experience).

The audience learns about Sibyl’s renowned expertise and confidence in all things, ranging from sex education to the importance of journaling, from her daughter, Connie (Molly Carden), who, like her mother, grows up to care for women and their babies, but with the advantages of an MD after her name and teams of physicians to help her when necessary. Connie has learned her mother’s lesson.

In the isolated farmhouse where the Bedfords, Sibyl, and Anne wait for the new arrival, the internal process progresses normally, that is to say, slowly. Outside, as had been predicted—and ignored—a severe winter storm is knocking out powerlines and making roads impassable.

Consequences

Sibyl talks a lot about how she has no problem taking patients to the hospital when the situation calls for it, but, while the storm rages and labor seems stalled, she is in no hurry to do so. She thinks she can handle it, and her poise and self-assured bedside manner are contagious, at least to the Bedfords if not to the increasingly skeptical Anne.

When, finally, Sibyl is forced to confront the inevitable, it is too late, and there is only one action that can be taken to save her patient.  But, as a midwife, she is trained only to catch babies. As the first act closes, the questions are: Will she? Should she?

Her actions lead to the second act’s male-dominated courtroom drama. Mr. Bohjalian sets up an exploration into the question of whether any man can adequately judge a woman who feels compelled to save a life, even if another one is sacrificed. What constitutes prosecutorial overreach or a defense attorney’s helplessness? If a daughter protects her mother and they both get away with it, did the judge know what was happening and choose to turn a blind eye? Or was he hoodwinked? If an assistant tattles, should she pay for the betrayal with ostracization from her chosen profession, or did she behave correctly? Did she believe Sibyl’s hubris would erupt time and again, making a repeat of the Bedfords’ experience inevitable? More to the point, what does Sibyl believe?

Pitch-Perfect

Everything about this production is exquisite. The script is as crisp as a Vermont sun after the snow, and the performances are pitch-perfect. The minimalist staging manages to be both expository and intimate, prompting a bond with the characters and the recognition that there but for the grace of G-d could go any of us.

Appropriately enough, “Midwives,” which is based on Mr. Bohjalian’s best-selling novel of the same name, is the George Street Theater’s current “book club selection.” Book clubs are welcome to enjoy a slew of perks, including the possibility of purchasing the novel as an add-on item.

“Midwives” will be playing at the George Street Theater until February 16. For tickets, call 732-246-7717.

It is hard to imagine anyone leaving the theater without wondering, “If this had been me, what would I have done?” Hopefully, one of the answers will be: Pay attention to the weather.

***

Two Sues on the Aisle bases its ratings on how many challahs it pays to buy (rather than make) in order to see the play, show, film, or exhibit being reviewed.

“Midwives” received 4 challahs