Best friends Jo and Lia fell out years ago when Lia started dating Jo’s ex, Simon. Now a decade and many failed IVF rounds later, Lia and Simon decide to try one final drastic attempt at parenthood by asking happily childfree Jo to donate her eggs to them.
What’s Yours captures the fallout of this simple but impossibly complicated request.
I entered the beautiful, intimate Red Stitch theatre on Chapel Street for their production of Keziah Warner’s “What’s Yours”. When I first walked in we had the view of the inside of a house with kitchen table, chair and couch (design by Bianca Pardo) giving us the feeling that we’re in for a story of a suburban family and friendship.
Director Isabella Vadiveloo and Assistant director Roisin Wallace Nash have taken us on powerful journey of heartache, powerful friendship and personal pain.
To the cast, in the role of husband and want-to-be dad Simon is Kevin Hofbauer who performs the role with powerful vulnerability, the desperation in his performance is amazing to watch and when the plot takes a turn later in the show his portrayal becomes one of guilt and uncertainty.
In the role of Lia, Carissa Lee is fantastic. She too plays the role with desperation and I couldn’t take my eyes off her during the scene where she was painfully showing her desire for a child, I sensed that most of the audience were feeling her pain with her. The final scenes when she finally had her wish were beautifully performed.
Finally in the role of Lia’s best friend, Jo, Christina O’Neill shows off her acting chops when at first she is angry and has to defend herself as to why she doesn’t want to have children herself. As the show progresses she becomes calmer and her tone changes and this was displayed flawlessly. The scene at the end between Lia and Jo is truly heartwarming and shows the power of friendship no matter how hard things can get. Mentions must also go to Sound Design by Grace Ferguson & Ethan Hunter and the lighting design by Rachel Lee.
