The sort of title that encouraged my friends to look at me with incredulity. However, this was a great play. Its subject matter is the exploration of the extent to which whatever culminates in suicide is passed through generations. Although some reviews seem to pounce on the idea that the author must be arguing for some sort of genetic linking, this did not seem to me to be necessarily the thesis. It could equally well be the disturbed upbringing that repeats itself. Either way, we follow three generations of women, the first two of which have committed suicide and the third - a lesbian - is determined to be sterilised to ensure that she is the end of the line.
The subject matter ids interesting but the play's strength lies in the innovativeness of having the three generations on stage at once. We gradually make sense of it all and have to tune in and out of the different conversations taking place. sometimes two women use identical words. The genius of the direction by Katie Mitchell is that, although we think we are choosing which of the three to concentrate on at any one time, this choice is probably being manipulated and there is no sense of ever feeling one has missed some vital development.
The acting was also superb and dependent upon impeccable timing. Definitely one to see again, I felt.
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