Odds Are

Good Grief—The Asper Centre for Theatre & Film (U of W)

Storyteller and performer Smita Russell guides her audience through a visceral, witty, and honest account of her complex personal journey and statistically improbable tribulations in procreation. In juxtaposing her unlikely series of miscarriages with mythical renditions of motherhood and childbirth, Russell reminds us that what is often treated as a typical human experience can still carry the weight of an epic trial.

Accompanied onstage by a solo violinist, Russell recounts her hero’s journey which, while positively legendary in its sheer volume of unrelenting and continuous misfortune, touches on experiences familiar to many women. Though her cumulative story positions her as a rare statistical outlier, none of the events she describes are impossible for anyone, even in the 21st century. The sheer mathematics of bringing any one life into the world underscores just how genuinely miraculous childbirth remains.

Despite the heavy premise, the piece remains remarkably accessible; neither alienating or too intense to manage. Russell manages to convey trauma with clarity, courage, and moments of seamless levity.

Ashley Frantik