Theatre Review: Donors by Nicholas Contreras

I am so jealous of those of you who are in Edinburgh right now. Between the Edinburgh Book Festival & Ed Fringe there is just so much to see. Lucky for me I was fortunate enough to catch a show that was streamed Live on Facebook late last week and figured I would do something a little different and review a show!

5⭐️’s from me!

Donors is described as : “Older egg seeking hot young sperm.​ Desperate times call for desperate measures when your biological clock is ticking. After all, our sole purpose is to reproduce…right? Roy and Linda meet in a fertility clinic. Desperation for motherhood and a misplaced model of masculinity turns a chance encounter into a last-ditch attempt at fixing all that life has dealt them. DONORS delivers humour, wit, and emotion through high stakes and rich characters that result in a delightfully captivating and, ultimately, heartbreaking story.”

Having only two actors on stage for the entirety of a show is always a risky undertaking, even more so when dealing with such an emotional subject as fertility. But Lloyd-Jones and LaMontagne-Schenck take it in stride. The raw emotions portrayed by Lloyd-Jones as Linda struggles with the questions of whether she can be a single mother coupled with the immaturity and awkwardness of LaMontagne-Schenck’s character will keep you captivated until the very end. Poignant dialogue portrays the uneasiness around donor sperm – the awkward conversations, the looming questions, the emotional baggage. This show has it all.

I would also be remiss if I did not mention that the set itself is simple, but so powerful. The use of blocks not only helps to spell out the subject matter of the scene but provides the necessary framework for these rollercoaster dialogues. A creative way of bringing cohesiveness to the show.

My only regret is that there wasn’t more to watch – time seemed to shift to fast.

If you are in Edinburgh be sure to give this one a try! Show Info Here

**Full Disclosure – I am related to one of the cast members, but all opinions are my own**