A play imagined and developed by two women based in Falmouth was launched last week to the highest of critical acclaim with a rare 5-star review from The Times, and a 4-star one from The Telegraph who found it ‘gripping.’
As a result, tickets are selling fast for the first run, with its hosts, Bristol Old Vic, proclaiming that audience responses to the play, A Child of Science, have been overwhelming.
Gabby Vautier, one half of imPOSSIBLE Producing, first floated the idea of a piece of theatre that told the story of the creation of IVF, with her business partner Charlie Bunker when the company formed in 2020. Charlie and Gabby founded imPOSSIBLE together in the pandemic to make theatre, events, festivals, ideas, conversations and change happen.
They are on a mission to make people and projects possible, to put artists and big thinkers in the driving seat - with fulfilling, pioneering, sustainable and socially impactful results. In just four years they have been part of delivering over 30 creative projects.
This year they are on a mission to make their concept of a ‘South West End’ a reality, launching with two large scale ambitious projects led by Cornwall talent. These are A Child of Science and then The Creakers – a new musical this autumn directed and choreographed by Bodmin-born Tom Jackson Greaves.
Gabby’s idea for what has become A Child of Science is rooted in a deeply personal journey. Gabby and her award-winning playwright husband, Gareth Farr, also a senior lecturer in acting at Falmouth University, experienced four gruelling rounds of IVF, multiple miscarriages and an ectopic pregnancy before conceiving their twin girls, now aged 9.
Gabby says, “A Child of Science is about determination, dreams, hope, and courage. It’s a celebration of life. In 1978, Patrick Steptoe, Robert Edwards, and Jean Purdy changed the world as we know it, and I just knew that story had to be told.
“Charlie and I worked with Gareth to nurture his poignant script that tells the pioneering story, not just of the doctors and scientists, but of the army of women from all over the UK whose immense bravery helped them to achieve the impossible – to create human life in vitro.
Gabby continued: “Faced with fierce criticism and hostility, and hounded by the media for “playing God”, trials were kept largely under wraps.
“But the determination of Steptoe, Edwards and Purdy, to give hope to the thousands of families struggling to conceive eventually led to one of the most remarkable medical breakthroughs of our time: the birth of a baby girl – Louise Brown - and the creation of IVF. This vital procedure has supported the birth of over 12 million babies worldwide over the last 45 years, including my own two.”
Gabby and Charlie agreed they should go for it, investing personal finance in the initial development of the play supporting Gabby’s Bruntwood Prize-winning husband Gareth to write the piece. Undeterred by several ‘knock-backs’ for various pieces of public funding, they persisted, eventually finding a collaborative, investment and producing partner in the Bristol Old Vic.
Charlotte Geeves, Executive Director of Bristol Old Vic says, “We’re so proud to be able to platform this hugely significant new play on our stage and thank imPOSSIBLE for trusting us to develop it with them.
“The significance of Louise Brown’s birthplace being Bristol obviously resonates strongly here and the media and audience responses to A Child of Science have been overwhelming. Tickets are now selling fast and given that this is a globally significant story, we are proud to be part of the extended South West team that has brought it to life.”
A number of the production and creative team members for the play have been connected through imPOSSIBLE’s Arts Council England supported talent development programmeThe Island, which they run, when funding allows, in Cornwall.
Acclaimed West End director Matthew Dunster was part of the first ever Island programme. Matthew is a huge supporter of Charlie and Gabby, and worked on their first project ARRIVAL which launched the Lord Mayor of London’s cultural strategy. imPOSSIBLE Producing beat 92 established companies to win this crucial commission from The Royal Docks.
Matthew has been attached to A Child of Science from the very beginning and having IVF triplets himself means the work has meant a great deal to him. Associate Director Alix Harris grew up in Hayle and Casting Director Matilda James is from Penzance. Adelle Leonce, one of the lead actors, was born in Truro.
After reading the poignant script, a number of renowned British actors jumped onboard. These include Tom Felton (Harry Potter), Jamie Glover (Waterloo Road, Casualty), Meg Bellamy (who played Kate Middleton in The Crown) and Sonoya Mizuno (House of the Dragon)
Charlie Bunker says, “This is exactly the type of story that Gabby and I have created imPOSSIBLE Producing to tell. And the fact that this idea happened to be hers, is by-the-by.
“We are here to develop and nurture the creative brainchildren of all other South West-based talents. It’s not always an easy journey, and we’ve experienced a lot of knocks along the way. But we know that anything is possible if you have enough nerve.”
Charlie continues, “Now that the play is out there, experiencing the beyond-positive reactions of the hard-to-please national critics is obviously a hard-won joy. But our graft doesn’t stop here. Together with the Bristol Old Vic crew, we’re on a mission to see A Child of Science on stages across the country, and across the globe.
“And our next show, The Creakers, which premieres at Theatre Royal Plymouth in October half term, also led by Cornish talent, is about to announce a very starry Christmas run. We are excited to see our Cornish Island graduates travel, develop and keep Cornwall on the map for groundbreaking new theatre.
“We have shown we can achieve the impossible – but as female leaders here in Cornwall we need local support, investment and sponsorship more than ever to reach our potential.”
A Child of Science runs at Bristol Old Vic until July 7, visit www.bristololdvic.org.uk for more details.