Much of my life’s work has been an ode to birth itself. And I think this is because my mother created and gave birth to thirteen siblings and then surviving in an enormous family was my life, surrounded by a clamour of people whose needs were just as important as mine. The birth of a little brother or sister was always a celebration. So this central tenet of my existence has profoundly influenced much of my work as a playwright and performer.

Birth contains every big theme of life itself: the hope, the suffering, the struggles, the joy – it’s all magnified in this doorway to life, this transition zone between the universe and consciousness. Rachel is Born! is no exception, and it parallels the struggle of Christmas, the contrast between expectations and reality. As the mother in this story says, “And here was my partner, so available for all my expectations.” You can hear the hope and disappointment in those few words.

Enjoy this robust story. It celebrates the beginning of a life.